As part of Massachusetts' effort to combat opioid addiction, the state's four medical schools have agreed to incorporate into their curriculum instruction in the prevention and treatment of prescription drug misuse, the Boston Globe reported.
Under the agreement, the University of Massachusetts and Boston, Harvard and Tufts universities will arm students with 10 core competencies designed to ensure all medical students can tell whether a patient is at risk of addiction to painkillers. The curriculum will make sure future doctors know alternatives to opioids for treating pain; are familiar with ways to treat addiction; can develop treatment plans for pain and for addiction; are aware of their biases against people with substance use disorders; and know how to counsel people on behavior change.
Medical school curriculums already address many of the issues, the newspaper noted, but the agreement aims to make sure they are covered uniformly throughout the state. Article