Community Opioid Response

Community Engagement

The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine is committed to medical education that supports best practices in pain management and discourages improper prescribing of opioid pain medications. The school has subscribed to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) statement of commitment to address the opioid epidemic through education and research as well as promoting advancements in clinical care. The AAMC has been a leader in raising public awareness and in supporting effective medical education to assure the nation's future physicians are prepared to meet the opioid epidemic challenges.

• All School of Medicine residents receive training in the use, misuse, and abuse of opioids. Processes have been set in clinics to assist with best practices, including prescription reporting and patient pain contracts.
• All residents receive annual training from the State Board of Medicine regarding common missteps in opioid use. Recent presentations include training from the Betty Ford Center, which also provides annual scholarships for several medical students to receive training.
• Students in clinical rotations and residents also receive education in hospital and clinical locations regarding pain policy, patient pain contracts and prescribing guidelines. Education includes the latest CDC guidelines. Medical school faculty also provide training on practical application of the guidelines.
• The school invites addiction clinics in the area to present to residents, and residents receive training through Grand Rounds and teaching in psychiatry and internal medicine.
• The School of Medicine's Office of Continuing Medical Education has provided a number of opioid and addiction-related programs in recent years: the latest webinar was the 2016 Prescription for Addiction series. Other programs have included: