Bangor Daily News story draws on ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ's Interprofessional Education Symposium for story on chronic pain

The Bangor Daily News published an April 18, 2013 story on chronic pain, drawing in part on ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ's Spring Interprofessional Education Symposium, "The Science of Pain and the Art of Healing," that was held on April 4th.

The story quotes Paula Orecklin, 25, of Winnipeg, Canada, who spoke at the symposium about how she has suffered with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome since age 13, when a twisted ankle quickly devolved into a nightmare of agony and revolving doctor’s offices.

The story also mentions ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ's recent $10 million award from the National Institutes of Health to fund the ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ Center of Biomedical Research Excellence for the Study of Pain and Sensory Function.

Ed Bilsky, Ph.D., ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ associate provost for research and scholarship and director of the Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, is also quoted, describing the symposium as only part of what UNE is doing to transform the nature of pain treatment education.

"We have created much of the content needed to highlight chronic pain as one of the most serious health issues facing the country," he said. "With fresh perspectives I think we are making huge progress in better educating future health professionals as well as making positive impacts on the communities we live in, and the state of Maine." 

The symposium was coordinated by the ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ Westbrook College of Health Professions' InterProfessional Education Collaborative: Shelley Cohen Konrad, Ph.D., director, and Kris Hall, program coordinator.

About the ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ

The ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.