EFIC Education Study

Provision of Pain Education in Medical, Physiotherapy, Nursing, and Psychology Training Programmes across Europe

The European Pain Federation EFIC Education Committee are examining the provision of Pain Education within Medical, Physiotherapy, Nursing and Psychology Training Programmes across Europe, as well as the availability of Postgraduate Pain Specialisation Options for these health professional groups. Quality of Pain Education in Training Programmes across Europe will be bench-marked against the four EFIC Curricula for Pain Medicine, Pain Physiotherapy, Pain Psychology, and Pain Nursing to identify gaps in education.

Steering Committee

The study is led by Dr Mary O’Keeffe (EFIC’s Research Projects Advisor), in close collaboration with Nathan Skidmore (EFIC Research Assistant). Steering Committee Members are: Associate Professor Brona Fullen, Professor Harriet Wittink, Professor Bart Morlion, Professor Ed Keogh, Felicia Cox, Dr Andreas Kopf, and Professor Frank Huygen.
 
Our Methodology consists of:
1.  A Survey to seek programme information from Medical, Physiotherapy, Nursing, and Psychology training schools across Europe

2.  Interviews with key organisations responsible for Medical, Physiotherapy, Psychology and Nursing Higher Education in Europe, and EFIC councillors

3.  Consensus meetings with the Steering Committee (+ input of European Pain Forum organisations’ leadership)

Funding

The European Pain Federation EFIC received an unrestricted one-time grant of €32.000,- by Grünenthal for this study. Grünenthal have no role in the design, data collection, or analysis of the study results.

The survey is now closed, and data analysis is currently underway. Results are expected to be shared in 2025.

The study invited individuals employed in European institutions who play a role in the delivery or development of education within these disciplines to participate. The survey received Ethical Approval from the University College of Dublin Human Research Ethics Committee