PAMs - Professionals Allied to Medicine

Curricular education for Professionals Allied to Medicine (PAM) working in the field of epilepsy

The European Epilepsy Academy - in cooperation with other institutions - is developing a basic curriculum for professionals allied to medicine in the field of epilepsy (PAM). In different countries or cultural settings different professionals can be involved in the field of epilepsy. Therefore PAM could be nurses, EEG technicians, (neuro-) psychologists, social worker, teachers, facilitators or others working in the field of epilepsy. As a rule, a PAM is a "significant contact persons" for patients and their next ones.
A common curriculum finds its rational in the world-wide and European wide issues in epilepsy, such as

to understand epilepsy and its consequences in daily life
to learn how to cope actively with the disease
to strengthen self-support and initiative
to participate in decision-making, to become an expert in dealing with epilepsy
and to live with as few limitations as possible ("being part of an ordinary life fosters a feeling of belonging").

High quality standards - open to evaluations from in- and outside - and a common understanding of epilepsy and a common understanding of roles within different cultures and different multi-disciplinary teams are objectives of the PAM-project.

This project is being realized from two sides: