Interfaculty Pain Curriculum (IPC):
The Interfaculty Pain Curriculum (IPC) is a 20-hour pain curriculum program offered to over 1,000 undergraduate students from 7 health disciplines at the University of Toronto. The uniqueness of the program comes from the different learning tools used and also from the interprofessional approach when it comes to the assessment and management of patients’ pain. Results showed that the Patient Panel and Interprofessional Panel session improved students’ knowledge for 84% respondents and was effectively presented for 80% of respondents. Learn more here.
PICH webinars are a unique way to connect trainees and faculty across the globe. Each month a webinar is given on a topic about pediatric pain. A trainee gives a PowerPoint presentation about their research and a faculty member serves as a discussant. Our PICH2GO conferences are a series of dynamic educational and networking events co-hosted by PICH and local children's hospitals across Canada and internationally. The aim is to make the world a less painful place for kids through collaborative events that bring together patients, families, clinicians, researchers, including trainees, and decision-makers. Learn more here.
North American Pain School (NAPS):
The North American Pain School is the flagship training program of the International Association for the Study of Pain. NAPS which is led by the Quebec Pain Research Network brought together 13 leading experts in the fields of pain research and management to provide a unique educational and networking experience for the next generation of basic science and clinical pain researchers. In 2018, as the year before, patient representatives were successfully incorporated into the program. Interaction with the patient representatives was extremely highly rated by the students. NAPS networking was evaluated as very satisfactory by 90% of participants. Participative workshops were greatly appreciated by 94% of the students. Learn more here.
Connaught Summer Institute (CSI):
The Connaught Summer Institute in Pain 2018 was a 5-day intensive institute on “How pain affects individuals at all ages.” The Institute took place at Massey College, University of Toronto. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (N = 25), from a range of disciplines in basic science and clinical fields from the University of Toronto and other international universities participated. The institute features interactive lectures and facilitated small groups sessions that include patients and trainees to broaden understanding of research methods for integrated knowledge translation (KT), pain education, and pain research and innovation. 96% of participants agreed/strongly agreed that they were satisfied with their learning experience. Learn more here.
Pain Education Inter-Professional Resource (PEIR):
PEIR is an online self-learning resource. Students work though three interactive modules that follow the progression of a patient with acute to persistent postsurgical pain. Case progression spans pre- and postoperative phases, addressing pain-related care up to one-year follow-up. PEIR module objectives, content, and evaluation were co-developed with patient input and were based on the domains of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) Inter-professional Pain Curriculum and related pain core competencies. PEIR was disseminated to over 400 undergraduate nursing students in 2019. Data analyses are underway. Learn more here.
Canadian Pain Society (CPS) Trainee Event:
Trainee event: Adjunct to the annual Canadian Pain Society Meeting, CPS trainees are welcomed to the trainee workshop and social event. The trainee workshop focuses on pain-related topics pertinent to basic and clinical sciences (e.g., pain ethics, career advice) and includes a panel of 3 speakers inclusive of a patient speaker. The trainee social is designed as a networking opportunity for trainees practicing in the pain sciences. Learn more here.