THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2026/2027

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Edinburgh Medical School : Pain Management

Postgraduate Course: Introduction to Pain Management in Practice (PAMA11070)

Course Outline
SchoolEdinburgh Medical School CollegeCollege of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate)
Course typeOnline Distance Learning AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryThis course is the final of six compulsory subjects in the Clinical Management of Pain programme. It aims to provide you with an opportunity to explore a variety of pain conditions and subsequent management strategies.

You will have opportunity, through selected case studies, to demonstrate your knowledge of current pain management practice and theory. Marked reflective discussion boards will facilitate group interaction, academic appraisal, shared learning and reflection. The final assignment will ask you to assimilate your knowledge, critically appraise current information and reflect on the implications for clinical practice to produce a PowerPoint presentation.
Course description This course is the final of six compulsory subjects in the Clinical Management of Pain programme. It aims to provide the student with an opportunity to explore a variety of pain conditions and subsequent management strategies.

Students will have the opportunity, through selected case studies, to demonstrate their knowledge of current pain management practice and theory. Marked reflective discussion boards will facilitate group interaction, academic appraisal, shared learning and reflection. The final assignment will ask the student to assimilate their knowledge, critically appraise current information and reflect on the implications for clinical practice to produce a PowerPoint presentation.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the principles of pain management and an awareness of current issues
  2. Apply knowledge, skills and understanding of the principles of pain management to a range of pain conditions in clinical practice
  3. Be critical consumers of knowledge, applying reflection, analysis, evaluation and synthesis to research at the forefront of clinical management of pain
  4. Communicate effectively with peers and approach clinical practice in a way which draws on reflection on your own and others¿ clinical roles
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 will be provided:

Andrews, E.T., Beattie, R.M. & Tighe, M.P. (2020) Functional abdominal pain: what clinicians need to know. Archives of disease in childhood. 105 (10), 938-944. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2020-318825.

Ashar, Y., Perlis, R., Liston, C., Gunning, F. & Wager, T. (2022) Effects of Pain Reprocessing Therapy on Attributed Causes of Chronic Back Pain. The journal of pain. 23 (5), 27-28. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2022.03.108.

Brown, L.K., Beattie, R.M. & Tighe, M.P. (2016) Practical management of functional abdominal pain in children. Archives of disease in childhood. 101 (7), 677-683. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2014-306426.

Demir, I.E., Friess, H. & Ceyhan, G.O. (2015) Neural plasticity in pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Nature reviews. Gastroenterology & hepatology. 12 (11), 649-659. doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2015.166.

Erlenwein, J., Diers, M., Ernst, J., Schulz, F. & Petzke, F. (2021) Clinical updates on phantom limb pain. Pain reports. 6 (1), e888-e888. doi:10.1097/PR9.0000000000000888.

Jones, W.B. & Hale, A.L. (2021) Pancreatic cancer pain: impact and management challenges. Gastrointestinal cancer. 7, 13-17. doi:10.2147/GICTT.S95532.

Makin, T.R. & Flor, H. (2020) Brain (re)organisation following amputation: Implications for phantom limb pain. NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.). 218, 116943-116943. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116943.

Mansour, A.R., Farmer, M.A., Baliki, M.N. & Apkarian, A.V. (2014) Chronic pain: The role of learning and brain plasticity. Restorative neurology and neuroscience. 32 (1), 129-139. doi:10.3233/RNN-139003.
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
KeywordsPain,Pain management,Biopsychosocial approach to pain
Contacts
Course organiserMrs Carolyn Neeson
Tel:
Email: Carolyn.Neeson@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Ewelina Skala
Tel: (0131 5)37 1000
Email: eskala2@exseed.ed.ac.uk
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