Pain Management Courses: What They Are & How to Find Them
The science and practice of pain management have changed significantly in the past two decades. But one thing remains true: Evidence-based treatment of chronic pain has the potential to dramatically improve quality of life and health outcomes.
This means evidence-based pain management can have significant benefits for your practice, whatever your specialty. Your journey starts with accredited pain management courses — courses that may count toward your continuing medical education requirements.
Intrigued? Here’s what you need to know about pain management education: what comprehensive courses should cover, who’s eligible to take them, and where to find them.
What Are Pain Management Courses?
Pain management courses instruct medical providers and support personnel in safe, effective, evidence-based pain management practices. They equip providers to deliver high-quality care for patients with pain, enabling patients to live with fewer complications and better quality of life.
The best pain management courses are offered by accredited medical education providers, including medical schools and private medical training firms. They should confer continuing medical education credit for successful completion.
Depending on the type of course and training provider, pain management courses should be open to:
- Physicians and surgeons, including primary care providers
- Dentists
- Physician assistants
- Nurse practitioners
- Registered nurses
- Other licensed medical providers
What Do Pain Management Programs Cover?
Comprehensive pain management programs should cover:
- Diagnosis and treatment options for specific pain conditions
- Basic pain medicine pharmacology
- Basic human anatomy
- Basic diagnostic imaging practices, including ordering imaging and interpreting results
- Physical therapy best practices for specific pain conditions, with case studies
- Patient selection and screening criteria
- Best practices for opioid therapy
- Opioid prescribing criteria, per the Federation of State Medical Boards
- Ongoing pain management best practices for patients with chronic pain
- Alternative treatments for chronic pain, including acupuncture, botulinum toxin injections (Botox®), and massage
Who Can Enroll in a Pain Management Course?
Accredited pain management courses generally require evidence of a valid, current license to practice medicine in the United States. Some courses restrict participation to specific provider types, though “doctors only” pain management courses are rare.
Basic pain management courses may have no prerequisites, meaning providers who don’t currently practice pain medicine can enroll.
Advanced pain management courses, including those covering specific, narrow aspects of pain medicine, usually have prerequisites. You may need to complete a basic pain management course, and possibly other foundational courses in pharmacology or kinetic medicine, to enroll.
Where Can You Find Pain Management Education?
To find a pain management certification program that fits your needs, look to accredited medical education providers. It’s easier than ever to find online pain management programs that you can take at your own speed, but plenty of in-person options exist as well.
As you look for pain education courses, look beyond accreditation status (which is critical) and consider:
- Who is teaching the course — ideally, board-certified providers with years of pain management experience
- Whether the course syllabus aligns with your practice needs and what you hope to get out of the program
- Whether the course materials will be available for later review
- If the course is in-person, the amount and cost of travel required
