The 32nd annual scientific meeting for the Australian Pain Society was held at the Melbourne, where delegates from all over the country and the world converged to discuss all matters related to pain research. Amongst them were more than 20 medical students and junior doctors that had been provided with generous support to attend the conference thanks to the ACRRM Bonded Students Support Program.

The theme of this three-day conference was ‘Integrated Perspectives of Pain: People, Policies, Science and Education’. Delegates came from all disciplines including nurses, doctors, scientists, psychologists, politicians and more. Topics ranged from highly technical presentations on neurophysiology, to clinical lectures on pain assessment, to discussions about national opioid policies. We learned about the unique features of pain in neonates and children all the way through to the geriatric population.

One of the highlights was a fascinating workshop on pain management in resource-poor communities, both overseas and in rural/remote Australia. The challenges of pain services in these areas lie not just with limited material resources and human capacity, but also in terms of socio-cultural considerations. This includes, for example, taking into account the use of traditional Aboriginal bush medicine or the social stigma associated with palliative care in India.

The conference was fast-paced and packed with information. This was best exemplified by the very entertaining daily Rapid Communication Sessions, in which eight presenters had 60 seconds each to present their research. At the end of the minute, music would start playing ala Oscar’s acceptance speech cut-off style!

In between sessions, there were many invaluable opportunities to network with other delegates. People with an interest in the study of pain appear to be inherently compassionate and understanding, and it was fascinating getting to know some of them.

It was great meeting the other scholars as well. At the conference, there were so many of us that it didn’t take long to bump into each other (the giveaway was that we tend to mingle near the food). After each day, it wasn’t hard to find things to do in bustling Melbourne, such as having drinks in a floating bar under a bridge on the Yarra river, exploring the Chapel Street shopping precinct or having Vietnamese Pho in the CBD.

Overall, the conference really made it evident that while pain is a ubiquitous and universal human experience, a lot remains unknown about this complex subject. True to the theme, it is something that really requires an open-minded and multidisciplinary approach.

It was certainly a highly educational experience, and meeting other bonded medical students and junior doctors who share an interest in the topic and a desire to work in underserved areas in Australia was fantastic.

Thank you to the Department of Health and Ageing and the Australian Colelge of Rural and Remote Medicine for your ongoing support of our career development.