Advanced Pain Care for Complex and Chronic Cases
Pain Treatment CME for the Family Physician
Livestream
Thursday, May 7–Friday, May 8, 2026
15.50 AAFP Prescribed Credits
Livestream
15.50 AAFP Prescribed Credits
This pain management CME provides pain-first and evidence-based clinical education - distinct from substance use training – and vital when caring for a high-need patient population. It’s designed to provide immediately applicable tools for your practice.
This course teaches multidisciplinary strategies applicable to advanced diagnostic reasoning, clinical decision-making skills, acute vs. chronic pain management, and more. Return to your practice equipped with more advanced knowledge on how to treat pain - including when and how to incorporate both pharmacologic and non-pharmacological methods. This activity is not a substance use disorder course— it focuses on a deeper understanding of what is causing the pain, how to evaluate it accurately, and determining appropriate next-step management.
Topics covered at this livestream include:
- Advanced diagnostic reasoning for evaluating and treating pain
- Fine-tuning clinical decision-making skills
- The taxonomy and anatomy of pain
- Ability to differentiate normal variants from clinically significant abnormalities
- Stronger musculoskeletal and migraine assessment skills, as well as treatment knowledge
- Safer opioid tapering strategies while also considering mental and physical well-being
This course offers a PBL (Problem-based Learning) session and a CPW (Clinical Procedural Workshop) session. The PBL is on the first day of the course and is part of the course. The CPW is optional and on the last day.
Early Bird Pricing
Register by April 17, 2026 to save $100!
AAFP Member: $795
AAFP New Physician Member: $745
AAFP Student or Resident Member: $625
Other Health Care Professional: $795
Nonmember: $995
This pain management CME course is a two-day livestream that will be held on May 7 and May 8, 2026. On Thursday, sessions will begin at 7:15 a.m. and continue through 5 p.m. central, which includes a lunch break. On Friday, sessions will run from 7:25 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. central.
All times listed are Central time zone
Day 1 – Thursday, May 7
7:15 – 7:30 am
Welcome and Overview – Valerie A. Carrejo, MD, FAAFP
7:30 – 8:30 am
Knee Pain, Acute and Chronic Causes – Deepak S. Patel, MD, FAAFP, FACSM
8:30 – 9:30 am
Detectives: Making the Diagnosis in Low Back Pain – Jacob J. Miller, MD, FAAFP
9:30 – 9:45 am
Q&A 1
9:45 – 10:00 am
Break
10:00 – 10:15 am Problem Based Learning (PBL)
Diagnostic Dilemmas in Sports Medicine, Review Diverse Cases –Deepak S. Patel, MD, FAAFP, FACSM
10:15 – 11:15 am
PBL Group Discussions
11:15 – 11:45 am
PBL Large Group Report
11:45 am – 12:55 pm
Lunch
12:55 – 1:00 pm
Announcements – Valerie A. Carrejo, MD, FAAFP
1:00 – 1:30 pm
Evaluating Pediatric Shoulder Injuries in Primary Care – Suraj A. Achar, MD, FAAFP
1:30 – 2:00 pm
Unusual Pain Syndromes in Children: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome (AMPS) – Suraj A. Achar, MD, FAAFP
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Manage Opioids with Confidence – Lee Radosh, MD, FAAFP
3:00 – 3:15 pm
Q&A 2
3:15 – 3:30 pm
Break
3:30 – 4:00 pm
Shouldn’t You Know This? Shoulder Injury Evaluation and Management – Michael J. Petrizzi, MD, FAAFP
4:00 – 4:30 pm
What a Pain in the Neck – Acute and Chronic Problems That We Can All Take Care Of – Michael J. Petrizzi, MD, FAAFP
4:30 – 5:00 pm
Diagnosis and Treatment of Migraines - Michael Ready, MD
5:00 – 5:15 pm
Q&A 3
5:15 – 5:30 pm
Reflection Session – Drs. Carrejo, Petrizzi and Ready
5:30 pm
Recess
Day 2 – Friday, May 8
7:25 – 7:30 am
Welcome/Announcements – Valerie A. Carrejo, MD, FAAFP
7:30 – 8:30 am
Don’t Miss the POOP (Pain Out of Proportion) – Vu Kiet Tran, MD, MBA
8:30 – 9:30 am
Specific Strategies for Weaning Chronic Opioids – Lee Radosh, MD, FAAFP
9:30 – 9:45 am
Q&A 4
9:45 – 10:00 am
Break
10:00 – 11:00 am
Managing Pain in Patients with Addiction: Help! – Lee Radosh, MD, FAAFP
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
A Whole Health Approach to Chronic Pain – Michael S. Spertus, MD, FAAFP
12:00 – 12:15 pm
Q&A 5
12:15 – 12:30 pm
Reflection Session – Drs. Carrejo, Radosh and Spertus
12:30 pm
Adjourn
Day 2 – Friday, May 8 – Clinical Procedure Workshop
(separate registration and fee required)
1:30 – 4:30 pm
Musculoskeletal Exam: Upper Extremities – Deepak S. Patel, MD, FAAFP, FACSM
May 8, 2026, 1:30-4:30 pm central time, $270
Musculoskeletal Exam: Upper Extremities - Deepak S. Patel, MD, FAAFP, FACSM
- Perform a musculoskeletal physical examination upper extremity (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand).
- Recognize normal variances seen in the musculoskeletal examination.
- Identify examination findings that may need a more detailed examination.
Acute and chronic knee and neck pain: causes and management
Diagnosis and evaluation of low back pain
Diagnostic dilemmas in sports medicine (Problem-based Learning (PBL))
Evaluation and management of pediatric shoulder pain
Diagnosis and treatment of migraines
Opioid management and prescribing confidence
Strategies for weaning chronic opioid use
Managing pain in patients with addiction
Unusual pain syndromes
Whole health approaches to chronic pain
Musculoskeletal examination of upper extremities (workshop)
Reflection and Q&A sessions for interactive learning
Valerie A. Carrejo, MD, FAAFP – Course Chair
Suraj A. Achar, MD, FAAFP
Jacob J. Miller, MD, FAAFP
Deepak S. Patel, MD, FAAFP, FACSM
Michael J. Petrizzi, MD, FAAFP
Lee Radosh, MD, FAAFP
Michael Ready, MD
Michael S. Spertus, MD, FAAFP
Vu Kiet Tran, MD, MBA
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Assess and manage acute and chronic pain in primary care settings using evidence-based pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic strategies.
- Apply safe opioid prescribing practices, including initiation, monitoring, tapering, and naloxone counseling, in compliance with current guidelines and the DEA MATE Act.
- Develop and implement individualized pain management plans that incorporate patient-centered care principles, considering psychosocial factors, comorbidities, and patient preferences./li>
- Identify and apply harm reduction strategies and make appropriate referrals to behavioral health, addiction medicine, or pain specialists to optimize patient outcomes.
This CME features sessions that qualify for three hours towards the DEA-mandated eight hours of Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act. Read more about MATE: New DEA training requirement: who has to do it, and how to get it done.
The AAFP has reviewed Pain Management in Practice and deemed it acceptable for up to 15.50 Live AAFP Prescribed credit(s). Term of Approval is from 05/07/2026 to 05/08/2026. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
The AAFP is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The American Academy of Family Physicians designates this Live activity for a maximum of 15.50 AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
CME activities approved for AAFP credit are recognized by the AOA as equivalent to AOA Category 2 credit.
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