Postgraduate Course: Musculoskeletal Pain (PAMA11085)
Course Outline
| School | Deanery of Clinical Sciences |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This elective course introduces you to the field of musculoskeletal pain. It aims to provide you with an opportunity to explore concepts in musculoskeletal pain assessment, treatment, and management. There are many controversial issues in musculoskeletal pain management and many unanswered questions. This course aims to provide you with an overview of what is currently understood and what is believed to be best clinical practice in the assessment and management of musculoskeletal pain. |
| Course description |
This course will particularly suit those in clinical practice or in training in the field, but those who are involved in managing secondary musculoskeletal complications in non-musculoskeletal practice are also likely to find the course useful.
The course has been structured to introduce you to the field of pain management in musculoskeletal pain, and it is intended that it builds upon your previous experience and knowledge of pain management gained from Year 1 courses, in order to integrate and inform your approach to the management of patients with musculoskeletal conditions. The specific aim is an enhanced understanding of musculoskeletal pain concepts and conditions, and some of the associated issues which may present in clinical practice.
This an elective course within the Diploma/MSc in the Clinical Management of Pain programme. There are ten weeks of course content which are delivered over a total of twelve weeks to incorporate two independent study weeks. Although there is considerable overlap between them, each week focuses on a theme relevant to musculoskeletal pain.
The ten course content weekly themes are as follows:
1. Introduction to musculoskeletal pain mechanisms
2. Musculoskeletal pain mechanisms continued
3. An introduction to musculoskeletal pain assessment
4. Clinical practice guidelines
5. Musculoskeletal assessment continued
6. Clinical examination
7. Musculoskeletal pain conditions
8. An overview of Pharmacological and Surgical approaches
9. Current issues in musculoskeletal pain
10. Evidence in practice.
This course consists of a series of online lectures, associated materials and readings (both essential and recommended). The readings for each week may be journal articles, clinical guidelines, extracts from textbooks, or opinion articles and clinical commentary.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
MVM Online Learning Block 1 |
| Course Start Date |
16/09/2024 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 3,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 30,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
163 )
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| Additional Information (Learning and Teaching) |
163
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Key principles that will underpin all assessment activities are critical thinking and the application of theory to clinical practice. Assessment and Feedback in this course is covered by the University of Edinburgh Assessment and Feedback Principles and Priorities.
Assessment will consist of the following:
Assessment 1: Contribution to Synchronous Discussion Board topics 10% (1% x 10 weeks)
Assessment 2: Reflective Summary Blog 1 (15%)
Assessment 3: Reflective Summary Blog 2 (15%)
Assessment 3: Case Report and Letter of Referral (60%)
Please note that you must make a reasonable attempt at each of the assignments in order to receive a passing grade for the course. If you fail to make a reasonable attempt at any of the assignments, you risk a failing grade for the course which would normally have serious repercussions in your ability to achieve an award.
Group or individual feedback on a formative assignment will be provided by the course tutors. The formative assignment will not be graded.
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| Feedback |
Assessment and Feedback in this course is covered by the University of Edinburgh Assessment and Feedback Principles and Priorities.
Feedback is provided on all items of in-course assessment, both summative and formative. Formative feedback may take the form of group feedback where only salient points for the whole group are provided. Feedback comprises ongoing support provided by the course tutors, consisting of individual, group and ongoing group feedback. Summative marks will be provided on a published timetable and students will be provided with electronic written feedback for all coursework submitted.
Throughout your studies, you will receive regular feedback on your work. This helps to maximise the effectiveness of learning and teaching, and enhances your performance. Feedback can be any comment from another person that may result in improving your learning and understanding. It is important to remember that feedback is not always in written form on a marked piece of work. Whilst feedback can take this form, the vast majority of feedback you will receive during your university career is not associated with a mark.
When marked work is returned to you, it is your responsibility to read and think about the feedback given and not just look at the mark. The feedback gives you an indication of what you did well, what you misunderstood and what you did not address correctly. If you have any questions, please contact the named Course Organiser.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a critical knowledge of the principal mechanisms and multidimensional nature of musculoskeletal pain using appropriate terminologies and conventions
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the principles of pain measurement and assessment as specifically applied to musculoskeletal pain conditions
- Critically appraise the contemporary approaches to the diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal pain
- Evaluate the current non-pharmacological, pharmacological and surgical approaches in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the importance of effective and efficient communication with other healthcare professionals
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Reading List
A Resource List will be provided to ensure access to appropriate and relevant resources to enable participation in this course. Details about Resource Lists can be found at https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/research-teaching-staff/resource-lists/information-for-students
Resource material will be provided to enhance each week¿s material. Examples of the variety of materials used can be seen below ¿ please note this is indicative of what will be provided:
Article: Subgrouping Patients With Nonspecific Low Back Pain: Hope or Hype? B. T. Saragiotto, C. G. Maher, M. J. Hancock, and B. W. Koes, The journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy, vol. 47, no. 2, pp. 44¿48, Feb. 2017, doi: 10.2519/jospt.2017.0602.
Article: A new clinical model for facilitating the development of pattern recognition skills in clinical pain assessment. D. M. Walton and J. M. Elliott, Musculoskeletal science & practice, vol. 36, pp. 17¿24, 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2018.03.006.
Article: Back to basics: 10 facts every person should know about back pain. P. B. O¿Sullivan et al., British journal of sports medicine, vol. 54, no. 12, pp. 698¿699, 2020, doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2019-101611.
Book chapter: Special Tests in Musculoskeletal Examination. N. Hanchard, pp 17¿88. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-7020-3025-3.00002-2.
Article: It is time to move beyond ¿body region silos¿ to manage musculoskeletal pain: five actions to change clinical practice. J. P. Caneiro et al., British journal of sports medicine, vol. 54, no. 8, pp. 438¿439, 2020, doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2018-100488.
Book chapter: Clinical Reasoning: Knowledge, Uncertainty, and Values in Health Care. D. Chiffi, Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2020, pp. 63¿76. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-59094-9_5.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
During the course students will have to demonstrate the ability to work both independently and collaboratively with others. Their knowledge and understanding of the topic will improve but they will also learn generic approaches/skills. As the course is distance learning, it will contribute to their IT, writing and communication skills which can be applied to both clinical and academic environments. Finally, they will be expected to be able to bring together and draw from the information provided through the course during their assignment writing. Competences such as structuring of work and accurate referencing should also improve.
Generic cognitive skills:
The ability to apply critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis to forefront issues and developments, develop original and creative responses to problems and issues, critically review, consolidate and extend knowledge, skills, practices and thinking, deal with complex issues and make informed judgements in situations in the absence of complete or consistent data/information.
Communication, it and numeracy skills:
Use a wide range of routine skills and a range of advanced and specialised skills such as communication with peers, more senior colleagues and specialists, evaluation of a wide range of numerical and geographical data.
Autonomy, accountability and working with others:
Exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in professional and equivalent activities, work in a peer relationship with specialist practitioners, demonstrate leadership and/or initiative and make an identifiable contribution to change and development and/or new thinking, manage complex ethical and professional issues.
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| Keywords | musculoskeletal,concept,red flags,assessment,low back pain,self-management,pain drivers |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Paul Barratt
Tel: 0131 242 6977
Email: Paul.Barratt@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Ewelina Skala
Tel: (0131 5)37 1000
Email: eskala2@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
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