A syringe pump comprising: a housing; a syringe seat coupled to the housing, the syringe seat configured to retain a syringe having a barrel and a plunger disposed within the barrel; a lead screw rotatable within the housing; a motor coupled to the lead screw configured to rotate the lead screw; a sliding block assembly configured for engaging with the lead screw to move along the lead screw in accordance with rotation of the lead screw; a plunger head assembly coupled to the sliding block assembly and configured to drive a plunger of a syringe into a barrel of the syringe, the plunger head assembly having a force sensor operatively coupled to the plunger of the syringe to measure a force of the plunger head assembly on the plunger of the syringe; and at least one processor operatively coupled to the motor and configured to control the rotation of the motor to thereby control actuation of the plunger head assembly, the at least one processor is also operatively coupled to the force sensor to receive a measured force therefrom, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: receive a target flow rate of the syringe loaded on the syringe pump; and determine a therapy actuation speed corresponding to the target flow rate; characterized in that the at least one processor is further configured to: command the motor to actuate the plunger of the syringe out of the barrel at a first predetermined speed until the force sensor coupled to the plunger measures a force that is less than a first predetermined force threshold or the plunger travels out of the barrel by a first predetermined distance; command the motor to actuate the plunger of the syringe into the barrel at a second predetermined speed greater than the therapy actuation speed until the force sensor coupled to the plunger measures a force that exceeds a second predetermined threshold or the plunger travels into the barrel by a second predetermined distance; and command the motor to actuate the plunger of the syringe into the barrel at the therapy actuation speed when the force sensor coupled to the plunger measures a force that exceeds a second predetermined threshold, wherein the therapy actuation speed corresponds to the target flow rate when there is no slack in the syringe pump or the syringe. a housing; a syringe seat coupled to the housing, the syringe seat configured to retain a syringe having a barrel and a plunger disposed within the barrel; a lead screw rotatable within the housing; a motor coupled to the lead screw configured to rotate the lead screw; a sliding block assembly configured for engaging with the lead screw to move along the lead screw in accordance with rotation of the lead screw; a plunger head assembly coupled to the sliding block assembly and configured to drive a plunger of a syringe into a barrel of the syringe, the plunger head assembly having a force sensor operatively coupled to the plunger of the syringe to measure a force of the plunger head assembly on the plunger of the syringe; and at least one processor operatively coupled to the motor and configured to control the rotation of the motor to thereby control actuation of the plunger head assembly, the at least one processor is also operatively coupled to the force sensor to receive a measured force therefrom, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: receive a target flow rate of the syringe loaded on the syringe pump; and determine a therapy actuation speed corresponding to the target flow rate; receive a target flow rate of the syringe loaded on the syringe pump; and determine a therapy actuation speed corresponding to the target flow rate; characterized in that the at least one processor is further configured to: command the motor to actuate the plunger of the syringe out of the barrel at a first predetermined speed until the force sensor coupled to the plunger measures a force that is less than a first predetermined force threshold or the plunger travels out of the barrel by a first predetermined distance; command the motor to actuate the plunger of the syringe into the barrel at a second predetermined speed greater than the therapy actuation speed until the force sensor coupled to the plunger measures a force that exceeds a second predetermined threshold or the plunger travels into the barrel by a second predetermined distance; and command the motor to actuate the plunger of the syringe into the barrel at the therapy actuation speed when the force sensor coupled to the plunger measures a force that exceeds a second predetermined threshold, wherein the therapy actuation speed corresponds to the target flow rate when there is no slack in the syringe pump or the syringe. command the motor to actuate the plunger of the syringe out of the barrel at a first predetermined speed until the force sensor coupled to the plunger measures a force that is less than a first predetermined force threshold or the plunger travels out of the barrel by a first predetermined distance; command the motor to actuate the plunger of the syringe into the barrel at a second predetermined speed greater than the therapy actuation speed until the force sensor coupled to the plunger measures a force that exceeds a second predetermined threshold or the plunger travels into the barrel by a second predetermined distance; and command the motor to actuate the plunger of the syringe into the barrel at the therapy actuation speed when the force sensor coupled to the plunger measures a force that exceeds a second predetermined threshold, wherein the therapy actuation speed corresponds to the target flow rate when there is no slack in the syringe pump or the syringe.