Part of the course involves students taking medical histories from actors portraying patients with various chronic pain conditions. Unfortunately, this story is not unusual.
Chronic pain is an extremely complex problem.
In the past many physicians were not adequately instructed in the diagnosis of chronic pain, so pain traditionally has not been managed successfully. The first Chronic Pain Management Seminar is scheduled for Tuesday, March 28, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in OHSU's Old Library Auditorium. We felt our students needed additional attention in the clinical skills area of pain management. National surveys of medical school graduates, OHSU included, show the students welcome an additional emphasis on pain management. The mandatory, all-day course takes a look at the clinical side of diagnosing pain.