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Name the service and the population
Ask which program you would join and what services it provides. Clarify whether your role serves one site or several, which patient population it is designed for, and how people enter and move through care. If the employer operates multiple service lines, ask how much of your schedule belongs to each one.
Terms such as addiction medicine, recovery services, or behavioral health can cover different work. Ask what you would do during a typical shift or clinic day, how much work is patient-facing, and which responsibilities are handled by another discipline. A specific answer lets you compare the position with experience you already have.
Separate responsibilities across disciplines
Have the employer explain who handles assessment, prescribing where applicable, nursing care, counseling, care coordination, documentation, and follow-up. Ask what is expected of your discipline and what requires consultation or referral. For work that involves medications for opioid use disorder, ask how the program assigns the relevant duties and verifies the requirements for the role.
SAMHSA’s current OTP resources describe specific program rules and practitioner roles. They do not determine every employer’s workflow or every clinician’s scope. Confirm what applies to your job with the clinical lead and credentialing team, and check the licensing requirements for the state where you would practice.
Understand the rhythm of the work
Ask about shift or clinic hours, weekends, on-call expectations, travel, documentation time, and coverage when a colleague is away. If the role includes more than one program, ask how priorities are set when responsibilities compete. Request a realistic example of an ordinary week and a busy period.
Find out how patient concerns move through the team and who is available for consultation. Ask what happens when the scheduled clinician is not available and how follow-up responsibility is handed over. These are questions about the employer’s organization of work and can help you decide whether the position matches your preferred pace and setting.
Ask about training and clinical support
If you are moving from another setting, ask how the employer introduces you to its program, documentation, and care coordination processes. Find out who provides clinical leadership, how questions are handled, and whether the role has access to peer consultation or continuing education. Separate support the employer can confirm from plans still under discussion.
You can ask how the organization thinks about quality and patient continuity without requesting confidential information. For example, ask how teams review workflow concerns and how clinicians contribute to improving handoffs. The goal is to understand the environment in which you would practice, not to evaluate an employer from a polished mission statement alone.
Make your decision with the full picture
Before accepting, confirm the written job duties, schedule, location, compensation structure, benefits, reporting relationship, credentialing timeline, and start-date expectations. If you hear different descriptions from interviewers, ask the hiring contact to reconcile them. Note any items that matter to you but remain unresolved, and request a clear owner and response date.
Then compare the role with your experience, interests, and practical needs. An employer should be able to explain what it expects on day one and what it will teach. CTG can help you explore permanent opportunities in addiction treatment and related settings while keeping the decision in your hands.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked September 28, 2026
- SAMHSA — 42 CFR Part 8 Frequently Asked QuestionsCurrent federal program guidance for opioid treatment programs; state law and position-specific responsibilities also matter.
- SAMHSA — For Nurse Practitioners: Integrating MOUD into Care SettingsDiscusses medication treatment as part of care and resources relevant to nurse practitioners.