Best Fellowships 2012

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Its about time to start applying for 2013 positions. I searched and checked out the old threads and it seems like a lot has likely changed. Texas Tech is closed, closing? Mayo Jax was one of the best, but didn't take a fellow for a couple years? UCLA was the best program on the west coast, but nobody really knew why? Hopefully, we can get some up to date info to help everyone get their applications finalized.

Mayo Jax took PM&R applicants from Mayo Rochester the past two years. Next year's fellow is Anes from Mayo Jax. It is an excellent fellowship and getting better. Hurdle is there now which brings a strong ultrasound component to the fellowship and they have opened their pain rehab center. This was one of the places at the top of my list last year. They may be expanding to 2 fellows per year soon.

Texas Tech is still going strong after some reorganization... the number of fellows has decreased to 3 for the 2012-2013 academic year.

Any thoughts from those who are wrapping up interviews?

I'm voting for the unaccredited:

The Spine Center at
Medical Associates of North Georgia


Interviews for July 2013 will be August and September.
2011 graduate was boarded in IM, Sports, OccMed
2012 Fellow is Anesthesia trained
2013 has a strong field of PMR candidates leading the way.

I would say Brigham, MGH, Cleveland Clinic, Hopkins, Wake Forest, Stanford, UCLA, UTSW, Mayo, BID, and MD Anderson.

Henry Ford. Its a sleeper. Amazing procedural experience.

Originally Posted by EtherBunny

I would say Brigham, MGH, Cleveland Clinic, Hopkins, Wake Forest, Stanford, UCLA, UTSW, Mayo, BID, and MD Anderson.

in this order

Originally Posted by Mofeen

Henry Ford. Its a sleeper. Amazing procedural experience.

This was my impression 5 years ago when I interveiwwed there

Originally Posted by Mofeen

Henry Ford. Its a sleeper. Amazing procedural experience.

I have heard this from several recent applicants as well.

2 other programs that I'm personally familiar with that offer AWESOME procedural experience are VCU and Temple (Falco). I don't know how they stack up to the "top programs", but they are certainly exceptional in this regard (particularly with stim, pumps and disc procedures).

VCU is ok, but you spend 6 months out of the year at the VA and didactics are mediocre. Falco is great, if you are from Temple, otherwise quite the uphill battle getting a spot there.

Originally Posted by Uncovert

VCU is ok, but you spend 6 months out of the year at the VA and didactics are mediocre. Falco is great, if you are from Temple, otherwise quite the uphill battle getting a spot there.

I have never worked or trained in a VA before. What are the major downsides that are pertinent to pain fellowship training?

VA's are great for pain fellows. Usually good hours, lot of pathology, and typically you do a lot of procedures because you don't need to worry about insurance headaches and prior authorizations. This is of course depended on how agressive/interventional the VA attendings are at each institution.

Anybody have any thoughts on UTSW or MD Anderson?

Generic advice - happy to give specifics privately:

Dont look at the reputation of the fellowship, look at the individual docs you will be working with. Individual faculty members change over time

Look at the graduates, and how well trained they appear to be. I can tell you that there are a bunch or morons that have come out of some "top" programs, and so I personally think some reputations arent deserved, or at least the fellows are inconsistent.

You will be spending a year with these folks. Sure, reputation matters, but fellowships, particular the academic ones, can have extraordinarlily malignant faculty, and you are their b"*&h for a year. Make sure you know you know what you are getting yourself into.

Some private fellowships dont want to train their competition, and so include a non-compete clause in your employment agreement. If your goal is to stay in the area after training, this may not be a good thing.

Private fellowships also should get you fully credentialed with facilities and insurance carriers before you are alllowed to do things independantly. Not all do, and the ones that don't have their fellows participating ina fradulent and illegal enterprise. Caveat emptor.

Any thoughts on the program at Rush?

As a current fellow my opinion maybe a bit biased but I have to say LLU one of the best kept secrets in the pain fellowship circles. Here are a couple reasons:


Program:
-Well respected medical school.

-4 Fellows usually (2 anesthesia and 2 PMR) have had other specialties in the past.

-Excellent combination of different aspects of pain. Spend time at main pain clinic 6 months, VA pain clinic 3 months, VA multidisciplinary rotation (radiology, neurology, addiction, palliative care etc) these are very easy months avg 30 hr/week or less with built in study time.

-Great hours. At main clinic Mon-Thurs 9-4 Fri 9-12 . Procedures Wed and Thurs AM. At VA 8-3 Mon-Fri.

-Minimal Inpatient stuff. Only cover chronic pain. No catheter management etc. This is covered by anesthesia residents. Only take call approx 8 weekends the whole year.

-Geared mostly toward PP pain. Many attendings also have part-time private practices and they are happy to share their experience on both sides of the fence. Not much research going on but willing to help if you are interested (that being said 2 of 4 fellows last year told academic jobs)

-Lots of bread and butter procedures but also doing stim, a handful of pumps both baclofen and opioid as well as Kyphoplasty, some disc and MILD procedures.

-Awesome moonlighting gig for anesthesia trained fellows.

Location/Misc:
-Beautiful weather Avg summer temps 80-mid 90s. Winter 60-70s.
-Reasonable cost of living compared to other parts of CA
-1 hour drive to the beach, 1-hours the ski resorts of Big Bear
-Close to Disneyland and other parks
-Very laid back

bump