Pain Science and Practice

Catalog description

This interprofessional course focuses on the biopsychosocial aspects of pain and pain management from the perspectives of individualized pain care, scientific discoveries, evidence-based practice and cross-disciplinary learning. Content includes an integrated overview of the neurobiology of pain, psychosocial aspects of the pain experience, pain assessment and outcomes measurement, pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches to the treatment of acute and chronic pain syndromes, national health policies for pain, evidence-based guidelines and best practices, and interprofessional care delivery models. Peripheral and central modulation of pain, neuroanatomical pathways, neurochemical mediators, and genetics are examined as the basis for explaining pain perception, behaviors and responses to treatments. Pain assessment and management for vulnerable populations are addressed along with strategies to reduce pain treatment disparities. Several acute and chronic (persistent) pain syndromes are discussed across the coninuum of care (e.g., primary care, hospital, outpatient pain centers, and home care). Current research findings and evidence-based guidelines are applied to interprofessional collaboration and clinical decision-making to promote optimal care and outcomes for persons experiencing pain. Through case-based and directed learning, classroom simulation, and interactive discussions with national leaders spanning multiple disciplines, students acquire a strong scientific and practice foundation in the clinical care of persons with acute and chronic pain.