Certification in Interventional Pain Ultrasonography

NEW YORK - Nov. 1, 2014 - PRLog -- The World Institute of Pain (WIP) and American Academy of Pain Medicine Ultrasonography (AAPMU) have reached an important agreement opening the opportunity to obtain a certification in interventional pain ultrasonography.

Dr. Michael Gofeld, President of the AAPMU stated, “Utilization of interventional ultrasound has been exponentially increasing in the last decade allowing pain specialists to implement new methods in diagnosing and treating chronic pain introducing this radiation-free imaging in procedures that traditionally have been performed with fluoroscopy. Increased implementation of ultrasound methods has led to developing a plethora of approaches that are practiced and taught by experts and professional societies. Numerous interventions have robust evidence background and have been validated versus alternative imaging methods or against so-called landmark-based techniques. Moreover, randomized-controlled studies demonstrated better clinical outcomes when the ultrasound guidance was used. There is a necessity in evidence-based education in ultrasound accessible to multiple medical specialties. AAPMU has created programs focused on procedural anatomy and technical competencies. The structural organization includes three-step hands-on pathways that allows achieving significant progress in acquiring theoretical knowledge and practical skills in ultrasound implementation in daily pain practice. The next logical step is to develop a mechanism of knowledge assessment and certification. The knowledge assessment has already started via Audience Response System, and assessment of procedural skills will be implemented soon. Given the extensive experience of WIP in conducting unbiased reputable examination in interventional pain (FIPP), AAPMU leadership requested WIP Executive and Examination Boards to endorse a certification in the procedural ultrasound.”

The first examination open to medical professionals will be conducted in Lanaken, Belgium, June 4-5, 2015. Candidates shall submit letters and supportive documents in the same fashion as for the FIPP examination. The examination will be open to all medical doctors (or equivalent to MD) who completed their specialty training. No subspecialty board certification is required. The qualified and successful candidate will be conferred the title, Certified Interventional Pain Sonologist (“CIPS”).

“The Executive Board of WIP and directors of the FIPP Board of Examination are honored to have been approached by the AAPMU, signifying confidence in our examination process and outcomes. This partnership represents an important milestone for not only our respective societies, but for the specialty of pain medicine as well,” said WIP President, Richard Rauck.

The affiliation between WIP and the AAPMU will yield unique opportunities for our members who are interested in pain medicine ultrasonography to join the AAPMU and reciprocal opportunities for AAPMU members to join WIP.

The Editorial Board of WIP’s journal of PAIN Practice recently appointed Dr. Michael Gofeld as associate editor of the journal’s ultrasonography content. The opportunity to include in the journal of PAIN Practice cutting-edge, evidence-based literature on ultrasonography in pain medicine is significant to our society and our journal’s readership.

Richard Rauck          Kris C.P. Vissers          Maarten van Kleef          Michael Gofeld

WIP President          WIP President-Elect       WIP BOE Chair          AAPMU

AAPMU (American Academy of Pain Medicine Ultrasonography) is a multidisciplinary educational non-profit organization conducting practical CME accredited courses and striving to provide practical and evidence-based approaches in procedural anatomy and injection techniques related to chronic pain conditions. AAPMU’s modules of diagnostic musculoskeletal sonography are compliant according to current national and international standards.  Teaching of procedural techniques is based on published clinical and imaging studies and risk-benefit ratios.

WIP is an international, nonprofit organization founded in 1993 that brings together renowned experts in the field of pain medicine for the advancement and standardization of interventional pain practice. WIP achieves its purposes and objectives through organizing physician-oriented educational symposia, practical workshops, and World Congresses; certifying physicians as Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP); publishing the scholarly journal, Pain Practice; and establishing liaisons with physicians and industry to promote the specialty of pain medicine.

For more information, please contact:

WORLD INSTITUTE OF PAIN

Mr. D. Mark Tolliver, MA, Certification Program Manager

145 Kimel Park Drive, Suite 310, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27103-6984, USA

T: 336-760-2939 | Fax: 336-760-5770 | fipp@worldinstituteofpain.org

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PAIN MEDICINE ULTRASONOGRAPHY

Attn:      Scot Sarver, Executive Officer

268 Main Street, #209, North Reading, MA 01864 USA

Tel: 978-430-7747 | Email: ssarver@wapmu.org