The Education and Professional Development Committee was established to support and enhance the education and professional development of pain research and clinicians at all stages of their careers.

There are four highly active subcommittees:

1) Early Career Form Planning Subcommittee: Starting in the fall, this subcommittee begins planning activities for the Early Career Forum, a half-day event before the Annual Scientific Meeting. The 2026 USASP Meeting, will be held on March 23 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This subcommittee typically meets monthly between October and March.

2) Webinar Subcommittee: This subcommittee plans monthly webinars on various pain-related topics. In addition to planning, members have opportunities to facilitate discussion with speakers. A list of past events can be found on the USASP website.

3) Leadership Academy Subcommittee: The Leadership Academy aims to develop the next generation of leaders in the pain field. Members of this working group will evaluate applicants for the Leadership Academy, work on refining the curriculum, and conduct program evaluations. The committee works to increase and enhance diversity and inclusion within USASP, by advancing the needs of all audiences, and ensuring accessibility for all pain researchers and clinicians.

4) Certificate Program Task Force: This Task Force has been charged with recommending to the board a plan for developing basic and advanced educational content for the pain community. Content may include pain “basics,” pain assessment, and methodologies used in the full range of pain research from basic science to dissemination. To ensure the involvement of senior members in creating and delivering advanced content and expand virtual educational offerings to provide more flexibility and accessibility for members.

During the application submission, please select which subcommittees you would like to participate in if selected to serve on this committee.

Time Commitment: The full committee meets quarterly. Subcommittees typically meet every 1-2 months.