Announcing the 2024–2025 Postdoctoral Fellowship Recipient

The Canadian Pain Society and the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans (CPCoE) are pleased to announce Dr. Erin Collins as the recipient of the 2024–2025 Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Dr. Collins, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre (MFOSIRC) and a proud military spouse, brings a PhD in Epidemiology and expertise in research methods, bio statistics, and data science to her work. Her research gives voice to a critical yet often overlooked issue: how chronic pain shapes the needs and experiences of Veterans after their service.

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About the Research

Project Title: The intersection of chronic pain and transition experiences in shaping Veterans’ post-service needs: A mixed methods study

Veterans face a higher likelihood of living with chronic pain compared to the general population, often alongside conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As they transition to civilian life, these challenges can deeply affect their well-being, quality of life, and ability to engage in social and occupational roles. Unfortunately, disruptions in care and barriers to timely, coordinated support often compound these difficulties. Dr. Collins’ study explores how chronic pain impacts life after service, focusing on the challenges Veterans face navigating the health care system and identifying gaps where existing supports fall short. Importantly, this research amplifies the voices of those most affected—Veterans, their families, and the service providers who support them.

This project builds on the broader research at MFOSIRC, which aims to better understand and improve the military-to-civilian transition experience while enhancing Veterans’ health and quality of life after release. The goal is to inform practical, meaningful changes that provide better support to Veterans and their communities—especially those dealing with complex and ongoing health issues like chronic pain.

Although many Veterans live with chronic pain, there’s still very little research on how it affects them during the critical transition from military to civilian life. Dr. Erin Collins’ study aims to change that.

Her mixed methods research brings together national survey data and in-depth interviews with Veterans, their families, and service providers—like healthcare professionals, case managers, and support agents. The goal is to compare the life experiences of Veterans with and without chronic pain, and to explore how pain may affect things like social connection and overall transition outcomes.

By including both numbers and personal stories, this study offers a deeper understanding of how chronic pain impacts daily life, access to care, and adjustment after service. It also highlights the important perspectives of family members and service providers—voices that are too often left out of the conversation.

Contact

Learn more about Dr. Erin Collins’s work on chronic pain and Veteran health at osiresearch.ca, and follow the MacDonald Franklin OSIResearch and Innovation Centre on social media for updates and insights:
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