There is lack of knowledge among many young doctors in Australia and New Zealand about treating severe acute pain. So, pain medicine specialists are endeavoring to inculcate pain medicine skills in medical students and doctors who are under training to be specialists or GPs.

All medical schools and training organizations in Australia and New Zealand have been recommended of a pain education curriculum by the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA).

October 18 marked the inaugural day of the IASP Global Year Against Pain. For the whole year, focus will be kept on the pain experienced after surgery, injury, childbirth and other severe sicknesses. On Monday, Dr. David Jones, Dean of FPM stated that alleviating pain is major part of medicine.

"We are constantly increasing our understanding of pain, so if doctors are armed with skills based on this, many more patients will benefit today than was possible when more senior doctors began their careers", said Dr. Jones. He added that the knowledge imparted in young doctors by the way of curriculum would serve as an added advantage when they would work with senior doctors.

Dr. Jane Trinca, a Melbourne-based pain specialist carried out a survey on interns and found that 70% medical graduates at the Austin Hospital lacked knowledge of pain. The formal pain management education was obtained by less than half of the surveyed interns.