MCE Conferences Internal Medicine Update and Pain Management for Primary Care Jun 06, 2025 – Jun 08, 2025

approaches to the treatment of common rashes 3) Discuss recommendations regarding referrals to dermatology   

8:30 AM – 8:35 AM ~ BREAK  

8:35 AM – 9:35 AM:
Ophthalmologic Issues for the Primary Care Physician
Objectives: 1) Review basic eye anatomy 2) Review common ophthalmologic problems seen in primary care, such as eyelid disorders and red eye 3) Consider when an ophthalmology referral is needed and when it is urgent   

9:35 AM – 9:45 AM ~ BREAK  

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM:
Overview of Opioid Pharmacology, Assessment, and Management
Objectives: 1) Highlight pharmacologic differences between various opioids used for chronic pain management 2) Describe risk factors that may help to predict problematic opioid use, including addiction and misuse 3) Review validated screening tools used to help identify possible aberrant behaviors related to long-term opioid use 4) Review and utilize Patient Provider Agreements (PPAs) and Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), as a means of improved monitoring of patients using opioid products   

10:45 AM – 10:50 AM ~ BREAK  

10:50 AM – 11:50 AM:
Rational Polypharmacy for Chronic Pain Management
Objectives: 1) Apply new pathophysiologic understanding to treating pain 2) Determine mechanisms of action for the various muscle relaxers and anticonvulsants commonly used to treat various chronic pain states 3) Use case examples to develop a deeper understanding of titration and adjustment of adjuvant analgesics 

Sunday, June 8th

7:30 AM – 8:30 AM:
Approaching Difficult Conversations about Chronic Pain
Objectives: 1) Discuss the best approach in addressing the patient who is resistant to change 2) Describe a strategy for treating patients with anxiety around pain therapy 3) Characterize patients with clear addiction 4) Manage patients who are angry or upset in the office 5) Discuss the approach to patients who have lost self-control   

8:30 AM – 8:35 AM ~ BREAK  

8:35 AM – 9:35 AM:
Individualized Pain Treatments Demystified
Objectives: 1) Discuss best practices for tapering and weaning patients off opioids safely 2) Formulate an approach for converting patients between adjunctive analgesics 3) Review updates in non-opioid pain pharmacology, including advanced combination therapies 

9:35 AM – 9:45 AM ~ BREAK  

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM:
Self-Care: Finding Meaning in One’s Work and Beating Burnout
Objectives: 1) Discuss the trends of burnout among US healthcare workers 2) Recognize the causes and signs of employee burnout 3) Review evidence-based strategies to improve well-being and reduce burnout  

10:45 AM – 10:50 AM ~ BREAK  

10:50 AM – 11:50 AM:
Evidence-Based Approach to Complementary and Alternative Treatments
Objectives: 1) Review complementary and alternative treatments commonly used by patients 2) Discuss the evidence of the benefits for complementary and alternative treatments 3) Review the harms, side-effects, and drug interactions of complementary and alternative treatments