[Cross-sectional subject 14--training in pain]

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pain Medicine
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• A significant knowledge gap exists regarding the management of pain patients outside specialized pain centers.
• This gap has been recognized for many years, highlighting a need for improved medical training in pain management.
• Current medical curricula may not adequately prepare future physicians for comprehensive pain patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the integration of pain medicine as a compulsory subject (QF 14) into the Human Medicine study program.
• To address the identified knowledge gap in pain patient treatment within general medical education.
• To facilitate the development and evaluation of effective teaching and examination formats for pain medicine.

Main Methods:

• Proposing the introduction of pain medicine as a cross-sectional subject (QF 14) within the Human Medicine study program.
• Suggesting the conversion of the core curriculum into suitable teaching and testing formats.
• Leveraging the autonomy and heterogeneity of German medical faculties for structured evaluation of diverse educational approaches.

Main Results:

• The implementation of a compulsory pain medicine curriculum offers a significant opportunity to enhance medical education.
• Diverse teaching and examination formats can be evaluated through benchmarking investigations due to the varied implementation across faculties.
• The initiative encourages collaboration between experienced clinicians and medical education specialists for curriculum development and evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Integrating pain medicine into undergraduate medical education is crucial for closing knowledge gaps in pain patient care.
• Structured evaluation of different teaching and examination formats will be possible, allowing for optimization of pain medicine education.
• The German Pain Society offers support for the development and implementation of pain medicine in medical faculties.