Mitigating the risk of opioid abuse through a balanced undergraduate pain medicine curriculum

Figures & data

Table 1 Core elements of pain curricula that address the management of opioids

Curriculum	Core elements
Columbia University	• General CNCP instruction (2 h)
College of Physicians and Surgeons^Citation17	• Case-based discussions with discussion questions, handouts, and links to screening instruments and other course materials online
Hurley Medical	Week 1–2 (5 h)
Center/Michigan	• Knowledge pretest
State University^Citation19	• Pharmacological management plan workshop
	• Pharmacology of short-acting and long-acting opioids, addiction screening, indications for referral
	• Legal considerations for prescribing
	• Urine drug test interpretation
	• Feedback on written management plan based on case scenario
	Week 3 (2 h)
	• Role play group activity
	• Case discussions
	Outcome measurements
	• Knowledge post-test
	• Observation by mentor during live clinical encounter with immediate feedback
University of Washington School of Medicine^Citation18	Required courses
	• Year 1 (3 h): physician/psychologist lecture, interaction with invited pain patients
	• Year 2 (5 h): principles of pain, case-based pharmacology, opioids/NSAIDs, addiction management
	• Year 3 (5 h): active participation in pain medicine case consultation
	• Year 4 (2 h): pain case–based learning, opioid Q&A
	Elective courses
	• Years 1–2 (32 h): preceptorship in pain clinic
	• Year 3: pain case–based presentation/treatment planning
	• Year 4 (144 h): anesthesia pain medicine (hospital based), acute/interventional pain treatment
	• Year 4 (1 h): inpatient ordering of opioids (capstone session)

Abbreviations: CNCP, chronic noncancer pain; NSAID, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; Q&A, question and answer.

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