2017 Elizabeth Narcessian Award for Outstanding Educational Achievements in the Field of Pain
Linda A. Kitlinski
Recently retired from her position as Senior Director, Clinical Affairs at Endo Pharmaceuticals, Linda Kitlinski has focused her career on advancing the care of people living with pain through independent medical education for clinicians, people with pain, and their families.
A graduate of Penn State University, Ms. Kitlinski has held various leadership positions in the Clinical Affairs Departments of DuPont Merck/Endo. Her responsibilities encompassed all independent education and building/managing the Clinical Affairs teams.
Ms. Kitlinski is a strong proponent of utilizing innovative partnerships/learning approaches. She was instrumental in establishing APS’s interdisciplinary “Fundamentals of Pain Management” course, which has provided >1,150 residents/fellows with mentored exposure to the Annual Scientific Meeting, and a solid foundation for continued learning on pain assessment/management.
Recognizing the importance of education for the general public, Ms. Kitlinski’s efforts helped establish programs such as ACPA’s “Vets in Pain” initiative. She was an early advocate for education utilizing nontraditional modalities, such as “Aches and Gains,” the pain-focused SIRIUS radio program.
Since 2009, Ms. Kitlinski has worked to help mitigate the public health/patient safety risks associated with prescription opioids. She served as REMS liaison to the CCCE and chaired the ER/LA Opioid REMS CE Subteam, which collaborated with organizations like APS, the CE Community and FDA to operationalize the first REMS utilizing accredited CE.
Ms. Kitlinski continues her commitment to pain education through CE consulting and involvement in multiple REMS Working Groups. She is a member of APS, the Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, serves on the APS Pain Research Fund Committee and ACEHP Finance Committee.
The Elizabeth Narcessian Award was named in memory of Elizabeth Narcessian, MD, a noted educator on the appropriate use of opioids, patient assessment, and approaches to rehabilitation of patients devastated by chronic pain. The award recognizes outstanding contributions highlighting dedication or innovation in education in the field of pain.
