Primary care physicians and pain: education during residency.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines whether family practice residents are receiving adequate training in the evaluation and treatment of pain during their residencies.


METHODS
A survey of the training directors of all family practice residency programs in the United States (n = 390) was conducted by mail. Questions were included regarding the residency programs and training in and knowledge of common pain conditions and therapies.


METHODS
Of all the training directors surveyed, 258 (66%) responded.


METHODS
The relationship between adequate training in pain and the characteristics of the residency programs was examined.


RESULTS
Twenty-nine percent of the training directors who responded considered that their residents received adequate training in the recognition and treatment of pain. Adequate training correlated with rotation through pain services and the number of hours of lecture on pain provided. While the majority of program directors reported that their trainees were receiving training in many of the common pain syndromes and the use of analgesic medications, significantly fewer (p < 0.001) considered it to be adequate.


CONCLUSIONS
Family practice training directors do not believe their residents are receiving adequate training in pain. In light of previous studies indicating the importance of providing proper pain treatment, enhanced teaching on this subject during residency appears to be needed.
Sengstaken
E A
EA
Department of Family Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
King
S A
SA
D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis; D059408:Pain Management; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires