How Should Medical Education Better Prepare Physicians for Opioid Prescribing?

Abstract

Opioid overprescribing is a key contributor to the current crisis. Changing how ethics is taught in connection with opioid prescribing is one area for improvement. In US medical schools, current training in ethics and opioid prescribing is variable, incorporating a diverse range of concepts, teaching modes, assessment strategies, and faculty experience. This article recommends integrating clinical case-based teaching and longitudinal application, comprehensive assessment, and additional training in ethical deliberation about opioid prescribing to better prepare physicians to responsibly prescribe and manage opioid-based phases of patients' pain care.