Development of low back pain curriculum content standards for entry-level clinical training

Hazel J Jenkins; Benjamin T Brown; Mary O'Keeffe; Niamh Moloney; Chris G Maher; Mark Hancock

doi:10.1186/s12909-024-05086-x

Development of low back pain curriculum content standards for entry-level clinical training

BMC Med Educ. 2024 Feb 12;24(1):136. doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-05086-x.

Authors

Hazel J Jenkins¹, Benjamin T Brown², Mary O'Keeffe³, Niamh Moloney⁴, Chris G Maher⁵, Mark Hancock²

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. hazel.jenkins@mq.edu.au.
² Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
³ Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
⁵ Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Abstract

Background: The management of low back pain (LBP) is highly variable and patients often receive management that is not recommended and/or miss out on recommended care. Clinician knowledge and behaviours are strongly influenced by entry-level clinical training and are commonly cited as barriers to implementing evidence-based management. Currently there are no internationally recognised curriculum standards for the teaching of LBP content to ensure graduating clinicians have the appropriate knowledge and competencies to assess and manage LBP. We formed an international interdisciplinary working group to develop curriculum content standards for the teaching of LBP in entry-level clinical training programs.

Methods: The working group included representatives from 11 countries: 18 academics and clinicians from healthcare professions who deal with the management of LBP (medicine, physiotherapy, chiropractic, osteopathy, pharmacology, and psychology), seven professional organisation representatives (medicine, physiotherapy, chiropractic, spine societies), and one healthcare consumer. A literature review was performed, including database and hand searches of guidelines and accreditation, curricula, and other policy documents, to identify gaps in current LBP teaching and recommended entry-level knowledge and competencies. The steering group (authors) drafted the initial LBP Curriculum Content Standards (LBP-CCS), which were discussed and modified through two review rounds with the working group.

Results: Sixty-two documents informed the draft standards. The final LBP-CCS consisted of four broad topics covering the epidemiology, biopsychosocial contributors, assessment, and management of LBP. For each topic, key knowledge and competencies to be achieved by the end of entry-level clinical training were described.

Conclusion: We have developed the LBP-CCS in consultation with an interdisciplinary, international working group. These standards can be used to inform or benchmark the content of curricula related to LBP in new or existing entry-level clinical training programs.

Keywords: Curriculum content standards; Entry-level clinical training; Healthcare education; Low back pain; Medical education.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Curriculum
Delivery of Health Care
Health Personnel
Humans
Low Back Pain* / therapy