Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy was one of four training sites selected by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Research and Education Foundation for the 2014 Pain and Palliative Care Traineeship program. Dr. Chris Herndon, associate professor of pharmacy practice, is the faculty lead for the SIUE campus training site.
The Pain and Palliative Care Traineeship Program is a tiered educational initiative, designed for pharmacists to gain specific knowledge and skills, attitudes and performance behaviors to expand and enhance practice competencies in pain management and palliative care. It is supported by an educational grant from Endo Pharmaceuticals, which includes the following components:
Level 1 – Pain Management and Palliative Care Self-Assessment Tool (knowledge-based activity)
Level 2 – Application of the Principles of Pain Management and Palliative Care (application-based activity)
Level 3 – Live Experiential Program (practice-based activity)
The selected pharmacists complete a rigorous online training program and then apply for the chance to spend a full week at one of the four sites for a “mini-fellowship” learning about pain. The three additional training sites are located at the University of Maryland, University of Virginia and University of Iowa.
“The reviewers were overwhelmed with the quality of the applicants and the obvious passion they show for helping those with pain,” said Herndon. “The ASHP Foundation Pain Traineeship is a phenomenal opportunity, and the SIUE School of Pharmacy is honored to be involved as a training site.”
The ASHP Research and Education Foundation’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of patients in health systems through appropriate, safe and effective medication use.