He completed his family medicine residency and a two year fellowship in family systems medicine at the University of Rochester. He then served as Medical Director at the John L. Norris Addiction Treatment Center from 1991 until 2004, providing inpatient addiction treatment. And since 2004, he has been the Associate Medical Director at Strong Recovery, providing outpatient chemical dependency treatment. He is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine as well as the American Board of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Novak received the Charlotte C. Hegedus Community Excellence Award from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence in 2013.