Understand the peripheral and central pain pathways involved in pain perception and modulation, enabling rational and mechanism-based selection of analgesic therapy.

Differentiate between nociceptive, inflammatory, neuropathic, and centralized pain to avoid inappropriate or ineffective analgesic use.

Explain how various pharmacological agents act at different targets within the pain pathway, supporting the concept of targeting the underlying pathophysiology rather than only symptom relief.

Appreciate the rationale and benefits of multimodal analgesia using drugs with complementary mechanisms to enhance efficacy and minimize adverse effects.

Recognize the role of central sensitization in chronic pain development and the importance of early, targeted intervention to prevent pain chronification.

Apply principles of individualized pain management by considering patient-specific factors such as age, comorbidities, and organ dysfunction to improve safety and outcomes.

Identify common adverse effects, drug interactions, and risk factors associated with analgesic therapy to ensure safer prescribing practices.

Translate pain pathway pharmacology into clinical decision-making through case-based application, strengthening clinical reasoning and evidence-based pain management.