Pain medicine
Pain medicine is the biopsycosocial assessment and management of persons with complex pain, especially when an underlying condition is not directly treatable. The scope of pain medicine supplements that of other medical disciplines, and utilises interdisciplinary skills to promote improved quality-of-life through improved physical, psychological and social function.
Vocational training in pain medicine is undertaken through the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) as a post-specialisation qualification. To be awarded the Fellowship of the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FFPMANZCA) a doctor must complete the FPM training program and hold a primary specialist qualification relevant to pain medicine that is acceptable to the board of the Faculty.
Am I able to apply to work as a recognised specialist in New Zealand?
To apply for vocational registration in pain medicine, you would need to hold either:
- the FFPMANZCA qualification; or
- an international postgraduate medical qualification in pain medicine, where your combination of qualifications, training and experience is assessed by the board of the Faculty against the standard of the FFPMANZCA.
What standard will I be compared against?
To obtain the FFPMANZCA, the trainee must attain a primary specialist qualification relevant to pain medicine and acceptable to the board of the Faculty and complete the two year Faculty of Pain Medicine training program. The FPM training program comprises:
- completion of the Foundations of Pain Medicine examination prior to commencing training.
- a minimum of two years (88 weeks) full-time equivalent (FTE) of approved clinical experience directly related to pain medicine, distributed over two mandatory stages.
- Completion of regular workplace-based assessments and in-training assessments.
- Completion of a long case assessment during each training stage.
- Completion of the FPM Fellowship examination.
- Completion of a clinical case study.
- FFPMANZCA is awarded following satisfactory completion of the training program requirements to holders of a primary specialist qualification acceptable to the board of the Faculty.
I want to make a vocational registration application
If you wish to make a vocational registration application, please refer to the Vocational Registration Homepage and select the Option appropriate for you.
Am I able to apply for other types of registration?
You may be able to apply for more than one type of registration. To find out which is the best fit for you, please use our self assessment tool