Pain Catastrophizing - Is it all in your head?

flexing arms x-ray.

What is the influence of psychological factors including anxiety and pain catastrophizing on opioid use on clinical outcomes after shoulder arthroplasty? 

Project description

We are hiring an undergraduate student to work with us on a clinical research study: Pain Catastrophizing 2-year patient follow up. Study aims are to conduct the 2 year follow up from our published trial on the association of mental health burden and opioid utilization in patients who have undergone a total shoulder arthroplasty. While the initial study had a short patient follow up of 30 days, our current aim will further explore whether there is a connection between mental health syndromes and prolonged opioid use or complications caused by prolonged opioid use. We also aim to study longer-term follow-ups to determine if mental health questionnaires can be useful in predicting prolonged opioid and surgical outcomes.

The assigned student will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge in all aspects of clinical research including literature search, biostatistics, data collection, IRB submission and scientific writing. The student will collaborate with the study’s clinical research team members and orthopedic surgeon faculty. In addition to clinical research the student will have opportunities for shadowing and mentorship with members of the orthopedic department. The goal is to present the study results at the national conference and publish in a peer-review journal.

Specifically, throughout the assigned clinical research project, the undergraduate students will be trained by the research team to extract data from EMRs and use REDCap for data collection. This includes patient screening, consenting, and administering surveys if applicable. The UBMD Orthopaedics Shoulder Arthroplasty Registry is a robust resource that has over 2800 unique subject records. There will be opportunities to participate in departmental conferences and shadowing in the OR and clinical setting. 

Project outcome

In addition to completing the shoulder arthroplasty pain catastrophizing project, the undergraduate student will be invited to participate in the UBMD Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine’s Medical Student Summer Research Program. The summer research program is a seven-week curriculum designed for medical students who are between their first year and second year of medical school. The program involves a lecture series by experts in the field of clinical research and orthopedics, including orthopedic surgeons and research scientists who are experts in study design, methods, and biostatistics. A research symposium day is held at the conclusion of the program where students will present their research findings to faculty and peers. Students who have participated in this program have presented at national conferences, including the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) and American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) and have published in top peer-reviewed journals in the field. 

Project details

Timing, eligibility and other details
Length of commitment Longer than a semester; 6-9 months
Start time Spring (January/February 2025)
In-person, remote, or hybrid? In-Person Project (Can only function with in-person engagement)
Level of collaboration Individual Student Project
Benefits Stipend
Who is eligible Juniors and Seniors; experience with clinical research, research methodology, data collection & entry, scientific writing

Core partners

Project mentor

Thomas Duquin

Clinical Associate Professor

Orthopaedics

Phone: (716) 898-3810

Email: trduquin@buffalo.edu

Contact for Student Applications

Jenna Betterson

Research Administrative Assistant

Orthopedics, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

Phone: (716) 829-3852

Email: jferrent@buffalo.edu

Start the project

  1. Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
  2. After you receive approval from the mentor to start this project, click the button to start the digital badge. (Learn more about ELN's digital badge options.) 

Preparation activities

Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase. 

  1. UB IRB and Managing Compliance - Register for CLICK UB Students.
    https://www.buffalo.edu/research/research-services/compliance/irb/click-irb.html#title_0
  2. UB JSMBS - Required CITI Training Courses: 1) Biomedical Research Investigator; 2) CITI Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and 3) Conflict of Interest (COI).
    https://medicine.buffalo.edu/orientation/checklist/citi-training.html
  3. UB Introduction to REDCap.
    https://www.buffalo.edu/ctsi/cores/clinical-research-office/educational-modules/an-introduction-to-redcap.html

Additionally, the student will:

  • Meet with the study’s clinical and research team
  • Familiarize themselves with the study protocol, informed consent and survey
  • Undergo training in: Electronic Medical Record (EMR) System data extraction, Survey administration, REDCap 

MacFarlane AJ, Ritter B, Uffer J, et al. Greater Mental Health Burden is Associated With Poor Postoperative Pain Control and Increased Opioid Utilization Following Total Shoulder Arthroplasty. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Arthroplasty. 2024;8. doi:10.1177/24715492231223665 

Keywords

Orthopaedic surgery, opioid use, total shoulder arthroplasty, pain catastrophizing, patient reported outcomes, anxiety, Jacobs Schools of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences