Deconstructing One Medical School’s Pain Curriculum: I. Content Analysis

Bradshaw, Ylisabyth S.; Wacks, Neha Patel; Perez‐Tamayo, Alejandra; Myers, Brenden; Obionwu, Chukwueloka; Lee, Rebecca A.; Carr, Daniel B.

doi:10.1093/pm/pnw293

Cited by 8 publications

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“…Review of the title, abstract, and full text against inclusion/exclusion criteria left a total of 14 studies for inclusion in this review. Descriptive and interventional studies into pain medicine curricula were performed from 1988 [ 40 ] to 2018 [ 41 ], with the majority published from 2009 onwards [ 30 , 32 – 37 , 41 – 45 ]. Characteristics of these curricula are summarized (Table 1 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Specific details of a defined curriculum such as learning objectives were not described Median 12 h (range, 4-56) for compulsory dedicated modules and median 9 h [range 1 – 60 ] for other compulsory non-pain-specific modules Pharmacology, anesthesiology, physiology/pathology, emergency medicine, and palliative care modules Not specified 95% of the schools used classroom teaching, 48% used placements, and 26% used case-based learning Examinations (93%), assignments (24%). Placements, practical assessments, attendance, presentations, group work, clinical methods or problem-based learning was each used for assessment by < 10% of schools 2017 Bradshaw et al, USA [ 45 ] 1/128 Fragmented teaching was mandatory for all students. 660 total instances of the term “pain” and selected pain-related terms in the 2 years.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Evaluation of pain medicine curricula was undertaken in Australia and New Zealand [ 41 ], the United States of America (USA) [ 32 – 35 , 43 , 45 ], Canada [ 37 , 42 , 43 ], United Kingdom (UK) [ 30 , 40 ], and Europe [ 36 , 44 , 46 ]. Six studies reported on the curriculum within a single teaching institution [ 32 – 35 , 37 , 45 ]. Eight studies reviewed medical curricula across multiple teaching institutions.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Systematic Review of Pain Medicine Content, Teaching, and Assessment in Medical School Curricula Internationally

et al. 2018

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IntroductionPain management is a major health care challenge in terms of the significant prevalence of pain and the negative consequences of poor management. Consequently, there have been international calls to improve pain medicine education for medical students. This systematic review examines the literature on pain medicine education at medical schools internationally, with a particular interest in studies that make reference to: a defined pain medicine curriculum, specific pain medicine learning objectives, dedicated pain education modules, core pain topics, medical specialties that teach pain medicine, elective study opportunities, hours allocated to teaching pain medicine during the curriculum, the status of pain medicine in the curriculum (compulsory or optional), as well as teaching, learning, and assessment methods.MethodsA systematic review was undertaken of relevant studies on pain medicine education for medical students published between January 1987 and May 2018 using PubMed, Medline, Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE), Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), and Google Scholar, and Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) data bases.ResultsFourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Evaluation of pain medicine curricula has been undertaken at 383 medical schools in Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America (USA), Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), and Europe. Pain medicine was mostly incorporated into medical courses such as anaesthesia or pharmacology, rather than presented as a dedicated pain medicine module. Ninety-six percent of medical schools in the UK and USA, and nearly 80% of medical schools in Europe had no compulsory dedicated teaching in pain medicine. On average, the median number of hours of pain content in the entire curriculum was 20 in Canada (2009), 20 in Australia and New Zealand (2018), 13 in the UK (2011), 12 in Europe (2012/2013), and 11 in the USA (2009). Neurophysiology and pharmacology pain topics were given priority by medical schools in all countries. Lectures, seminars, and case-based instruction were the teaching methods most commonly employed. When it was undertaken, medical schools mostly assessed student competency in pain medicine using written examinations rather than clinical assessments.ConclusionsThis systematic review has revealed that pain medicine education at medical schools internationally does not adequately respond to societal needs in terms of the prevalence and public health impact of inadequately managed pain.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s40122-018-0103-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Systematic Review of Pain Medicine Content, Teaching, and Assessment in Medical School Curricula Internationally

et al. 2018

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“…There was no mechanism in place to ensure that the core elements of the topic were addressed and integrated into different subject areas. This lack of coordination is likely to result in a fragmented, ineffectual understanding of pain [ 53 ], with pain, particularly chronic pain, being seen as a symptom of other conditions rather than a disease entity per se [ 72 , 73 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The medical curriculum is not publically available in New Zealand and Australia, as it is in other countries [ 41 ]. More recent studies have used only web-based information to examine pain medicine education [ 41 , 72 ]. However, many universities in Australia and New Zealand are only in the developmental stages of using web-based curriculum maps to outline specific details of learning objectives, lecture content and delivery, and assessment methods.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pain medicine content, teaching and assessment in medical school curricula in Australia and New Zealand

et al. 2018

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BackgroundThe objective of pain medicine education is to provide medical students with opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and professional attitudes that will lead to their becoming safe, capable, and compassionate medical practitioners who are able to meet the healthcare needs of persons in pain. This study was undertaken to identify and describe the delivery of pain medicine education at medical schools in Australia and New Zealand.MethodAll 23 medical schools in Australia and New Zealand in 2016 were included in this study. A structured curriculum audit tool was used to obtain information on pain medicine curricula including content, delivery, teaching and assessment methods.ResultsNineteen medical schools (83%) completed the curriculum audit. Neurophysiology, clinical assessment, analgesia use and multidimensional aspects of pain medicine were covered by most medical schools. Specific learning objectives for pain medicine were not identified by 42% of medical schools. One medical school offered a dedicated pain medicine module delivered over 1 week. Pain medicine teaching was delivered at all schools by a number of different departments throughout the curriculum. Interprofessional learning (IPL) in the context of pain medicine education was not specified by any of the medical schools. The mean time allocated for pain medicine teaching over the entire medical course was just under 20 h. The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) was used by 32% of schools to assess knowledge and skills in pain medicine. 16% of schools were unsure of whether any assessment of pain medicine education took place.ConclusionThis descriptive study provides important baseline information for pain medicine education at medical schools in Australia and New Zealand. Medical schools do not have well-documented or comprehensive pain curricula that are delivered and assessed using pedagogically-sound approaches considering the complexity of the topic, the prevalence and public health burden of pain.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12909-018-1204-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Accelerating Change: Reshaping Tufts’ Prelicensure Pain Curriculum to Meet the COVID-19 Challenge

et al. 2021

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Deconstructing One Medical School’s Pain Curriculum: I. Content Analysis

Abstract: Analysis of one medical school's pain-related curricular materials reveals opportunities for a more unified perspective that includes pain as a widespread disease state (not merely a symptom) and to provide an emphasis in the curriculum consistent with pain's public health burden.

Cited by 8 publications

References 21 publications

Systematic Review of Pain Medicine Content, Teaching, and Assessment in Medical School Curricula Internationally

Systematic Review of Pain Medicine Content, Teaching, and Assessment in Medical School Curricula Internationally

Pain medicine content, teaching and assessment in medical school curricula in Australia and New Zealand

Accelerating Change: Reshaping Tufts’ Prelicensure Pain Curriculum to Meet the COVID-19 Challenge

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