Education
Currently recruiting – course 12 to start November 2025
The Scandinavian Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (SSAI) coordinates an Inter-Nordic post-specialist educational programme in advanced pain medicine for Nordic doctors.
Purpose of the programme
- recognize that pain is always a biopsychosocial phenomenon (acute, cancer related, and chronic pain)
- achieve adequate theoretical and practical training to evaluate the different pain components and be conversant with the appropriate therapies
Who can apply?
The programme is limited to 45 students from all Nordic medical specialties. The target group is anesthesiologists as well as specialists from other pain related specialities, eg. neurology, rheumatology, rehabilitation medicine, internal medicine, surgery, social medicine, general practice.
The participant must be resident in one of the Nordic countries, be fluent in at least one of the Nordic languages and master the English language sufficiently in speaking and writing. Membership of SSAI is not required.
Description of the educational programme
Duration of the programme is 1½ – 2 years consisting of
- 5 theoretical courses, each 3 days (Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland)
- a 3-months clinical training in a university-based multidisciplinary pain clinic/pain centre
- a project, a survey, or a similar task within the pain area
The language used during the educational programme is English.
The expense of the programme
- for course 12 the fee for each course is DKK 7.000 (approx. 940€), in total for the whole programme DKK 35.000 (approx. 4.700€)
- travel and accommodation costs are not included in the course fee
- all expenses for the education course fee, travel and accommodation must be covered by the applicant personally or by the applicant’s host clinic.
The courses
The content of the courses is described in the course description, following IASP educational guidelines in the Core Curriculum for Professional Education in Pain. Press the button below and read more about the programme.
The clinical training
3-months clinical training in a university-based multidisciplinary pain clinic/pain centre is needed, during the 2-year course. The clinical training shall contain clinical work in:
1. an out-patient pain clinic
- with physicians (various specialities), nurses, mental health professionals (e.g., clinical psychologist, psychiatrist), and physical/occupational therapists working in collaboration.
- evaluation of chronic pain patients according to biopsychosocial model, also including evaluation of comorbid conditions (depression, anxiety, sleep problems, drug abuse).
- pharmacological and nonpharmacological pain management, neuromodulation.
2. in-hospital pain consultations
- evaluation and treatment of acute and cancer-related pain.
A written description of the suggested training program (where, what, and when?) shall be presented with the application to the education.
- A university hospital pain clinic/centre is “the host”, and responsible for coordinating the training positions.
- A tutor shall be appointed from the university host clinic.
- NEAPM faculty will review and accept the plan for clinical training.
The training may be done in several clinics inside or outside the university hospital if all of these required components required as ”a full training program” are not available in a single university pain clinic. In this case, the schedule for training must be coordinated by the tutor from the university clinic and accepted by the national faculty.
The project
- The aim of the project is to create in some way new knowledge and/or result in improved quality of care locally/regionally or globally around pain. It should include literature search in that topic.
- The project can typically consist of running a smaller research project, doing a survey, a follow up program to evaluate and improve clinical practice, or writing a review on a topic where this is appropriate.
- The project must be approved by the faculty and the work performed during the time of the course and corresponding to a “considerable effort”. The student must have a local and a faculty tutor to monitor, support and ensure the progress of the project.
The diploma
On completion of the Inter-Nordic training programme, the student will be granted the Diploma in Advanced Pain Medicine from the SSAI and may use the title NDAPM (Nordic Diploma in Advanced Pain Medicine). Requirements for the diploma are participation in 4 out of 5 courses, accepted project presentation and accepted clinical training.
How to apply
DEADLINE: April 15, 2025
Download the application form here
The completed application form should be part of your application package.
Make sure your name appears on the documents and on the scanned document as well as in the title of your mail.
The following documents should be scanned into one document in the mentioned order and mailed via e-mail to the Secretariat at painedu@painedu.nu:
- A filled-in application form approved and signed by the chairman of the host clinic
- A recommendation letter from your host clinic
- A short letter stating your motivation and documented interest in pain medicine
- Proposed title or topic for the project and name of the local tutor
- A short version curriculum vitae
- A list of all publications, research, and other relevant information
- A plan for a 3-months stay in a university based multidisciplinary pain clinic or pain centre
- A portrait photo of you (JPG) (for the final students list)
Selection of students
The selection of the participants will be based on each applicant’s score on a 4-level scale – obtained for each of the selection criteria below:
- Documented work experience in the field
- Documented research activity in the field
- Proposed project topic
- Motivational letter and recommendations
- Documented funding and guaranteed training positions for clinical training
Educational Board (the faculty)
Katri Hamunen (chairman)
Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
Mail: katri.hamunen@hus.fi
Pernille Opstrup (treasurer)
Pediatric pain service, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Mail: pernille.opstrup.01@regionh.dk
Carsten Boe Pedersen
Pain Centre ‘Liv med smerte’, Hørsholm, Denmark
Mail: carst1boe@gmail.com
Pekka Tarkkila
Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
Mail: pekka.tarkkila@hus.fi
Haraldur Már Gudnason
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
Mail: harmagu@landspitali.is
Birkir Örn Hlynsson
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
Mail: birkiroh@landspitali.is
Gunnvald Kvarstein
The Arctic University of Norway (UIT), Tromsø, Norway
Mail: gunnvald.kvarstein@uit.no
Audun Stubhaug
Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
Mail: astubhau@ous-hf.no
Stephen Butler
Pain Centre, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
Mail: stevmarg2@telia.com, stephen.butler@pubcare.uu.se
Rolf Karlsten
Pain Centre, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
Mail: rolf.karlsten@surgsci.uu.se
Karl-Fredrik Sjölund
Pain Centre, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Mail: karl-fredrik.sjolund@regionstockholm.se
Secretariat
Mai-Britt Lange
Mail: painedu@painedu.nu