(126) Development of a Longitudinal Pain and Opioid Curriculum

Abstract

The Mayo Clinic School of Medicine has identified pain management and opioid/substance abuse as a top five common societal problem that needs to be taught and addressed within the undergraduate medical curriculum. A Pain Curriculum Sub-committee was formed to 1) gather content experts together to collaborate and provide expertise, 2) examine the current state of pain management curriculum, and 3) create a plan for enhancing pain curriculum throughout the four years of medical school. The sub-committee created a curriculum map to identify the current pain curriculum (e.g., course objectives, sessions, session level objectives, instructional methods, and assessment methods) and detect areas within the curriculum that are missing. The curriculum map was compared with the International Association for the Study of Pain Core Curriculum to assist with creating a roadmap for the creation of additional curriculum. In addition, the sub-committee surveyed graduating fourth year medical students to gain insight into their level of confidence with managing patients with pain. Specific gaps noted from the survey results were level of confidence treating pediatric pain patients and patients with addiction. The sub-committee has a plan to incorporate 25% more curriculum into each academic year over the next four years. To maximize an already busy medical school schedule, the sub-committee has proposed the utilization of case studies for focal topic areas to incorporate pain management and opioid/substance abuse and to invite faculty with pain and addiction expertise to assist with providing curriculum content. The Mayo Clinic School of Medicine has identified pain management and opioid/substance abuse as a top five common societal problem that needs to be taught and addressed within the undergraduate medical curriculum. A Pain Curriculum Sub-committee was formed to 1) gather content experts together to collaborate and provide expertise, 2) examine the current state of pain management curriculum, and 3) create a plan for enhancing pain curriculum throughout the four years of medical school. The sub-committee created a curriculum map to identify the current pain curriculum (e.g., course objectives, sessions, session level objectives, instructional methods, and assessment methods) and detect areas within the curriculum that are missing. The curriculum map was compared with the International Association for the Study of Pain Core Curriculum to assist with creating a roadmap for the creation of additional curriculum. In addition, the sub-committee surveyed graduating fourth year medical students to gain insight into their level of confidence with managing patients with pain. Specific gaps noted from the survey results were level of confidence treating pediatric pain patients and patients with addiction. The sub-committee has a plan to incorporate 25% more curriculum into each academic year over the next four years. To maximize an already busy medical school schedule, the sub-committee has proposed the utilization of case studies for focal topic areas to incorporate pain management and opioid/substance abuse and to invite faculty with pain and addiction expertise to assist with providing curriculum content.