International Pain Summer School 2018
In January 2018, Scientists of Heidelberg Pain Consortium teamed up with again with faculty from the Canadian Pain Network and the United States to bring the International Painschool to South America. The school, entitled `The societal burden of chronic pain: neural circuits, mechanisms and new therapeutic avenues´ was organised at Heidelberg Centre Latin America, Santiago de Chile from January 8-12, 2018. One novel point in the concept of this joint Summer School between Heidelberg University and Latin America fostered educational goals on pain and also enabled doctoral students of economically disadvantaged countries in the region to attend a high quality Pain School. The school attracted 28 trainees from several countries of South America as well as trainees from USA, Canada and Germany. Both the schools had the similar curriculum. The trainees found working in small groups particularly productive. All trainees were quite contended with cross-cultural negotiations and building scientific collaborations for their future scientific career. The excursion included a wild-water-rafting event, which both students and faculty greatly enjoyed Cross-continental friendships start at the International Painschool and are built to last