Pain people: What would you do differently?

[hrmm]

For those of you applying for a pain fellowship, currently in a pain fellowship, or recently graduated from a pain fellowship...

1. What do you wish you knew going into your anesthesia residency that would have made your transition into pain easier?

2. Any advice for a CA-1 on how to maximize competitiveness for pain fellowship?

3. Anything you would do differently throughout your anesthesia residency to prepare you for applying into pain?

Thanks!

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[hrmm]

No pain docs/fellows willing to chime in and help the new wave of interested residents?

 

[lobelsteve]

Would have gone into rehab to learn spinal anatomy and physical exam skills.

Boo yeah.

 

[Ducttape]

do a pain rotation early in your residency.

start thinking of a research project early, preferably one that involves pain.

be open to the fact that you might find that general anesthesia or a specialty such as cardiac anesthesia might be more to your liking as a long term career. i had zero interest - i mean minus 100% interest - going into pain when i started anesthesia. things change once you start "doing" things, so do opinions and aspirations.

above all, get to know the pain attendings but dont be obsequious or pandering. they will see through that fascade....

 

[Tenesma]

and realize that pain as a specialty is going to be very different 4-5 years from now....

my prediction: ACOs will be motivated to follow NICE guidelines from England, and all pain patients will get vicodin/motrin, a few weeks of chiropractic, a few weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy - and if that doesn't work - placed on a methadone program - why? because it is cheap... gone will be the days of diagnostic imaging, diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and surgeries... this will all be managed by mid-levels following govt algorithms... why? because it is cheap...

 

[jsaul]

and realize that pain as a specialty is going to be very different 4-5 years from now....

my prediction: ACOs will be motivated to follow NICE guidelines from England, and all pain patients will get vicodin/motrin, a few weeks of chiropractic, a few weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy - and if that doesn't work - placed on a methadone program - why? because it is cheap... gone will be the days of diagnostic imaging, diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and surgeries... this will all be managed by mid-levels following govt algorithms... why? because it is cheap...

do the NICE guidlines in england allow fusions whenever a surgeon requests

 

[nvrsumr]

do the NICE guidlines in england allow fusions whenever a surgeon requests

Why wouldnt they? That fixes the problem

 

[SSdoc33]

do the NICE guidlines in england allow fusions whenever a surgeon requests

they dont request them when they are not needed because there is no financial incentive to do so. they are salaried.

 

[Ducttape]

and realize that pain as a specialty is going to be very different 4-5 years from now....

my prediction: ACOs will be motivated to follow NICE guidelines from England, and all pain patients will get vicodin/motrin, a few weeks of chiropractic, a few weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy - and if that doesn't work - placed on a methadone program - why? because it is cheap... gone will be the days of diagnostic imaging, diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and surgeries... this will all be managed by mid-levels following govt algorithms... why? because it is cheap...

so was the methadone "experiment" in Washington state.

typical right wing fear mongering.

 

[Doctodd]

Go to law school

 

[deleted185747]

+1

 

[hyperalgesia]

and realize that pain as a specialty is going to be very different 4-5 years from now....

my prediction: ACOs will be motivated to follow NICE guidelines from England, and all pain patients will get vicodin/motrin, a few weeks of chiropractic, a few weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy - and if that doesn't work - placed on a methadone program - why? because it is cheap... gone will be the days of diagnostic imaging, diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and surgeries... this will all be managed by mid-levels following govt algorithms... why? because it is cheap...

+1
In the abstract, liberals want to be treated en mass. It's always "we" and "we as a country", until it hits home and healthcare is actually needed. Then it's "Me me me!" But the system has already been redesigned around the statistics. Because of the govt's monopolistic reach and abuse of power, individualized care is hardly available, even for the right price. Maybe there will be a sliver of a real healthcare market left. Or maybe the whole group-think model will collapse on itself.

 

[hrmm]

bump.. as not many responses and the ones weren't as relevant as I had hoped

Quote:
For those of you applying for a pain fellowship, currently in a pain fellowship, or recently graduated from a pain fellowship...

1. What do you wish you knew going into your anesthesia residency that would have made your transition into pain easier?

2. Any advice for a CA-1 on how to maximize competitiveness for pain fellowship?

3. Anything you would do differently throughout your anesthesia residency to prepare you for applying into pain?

Thanks!

 

[Pacman27]

1. Nothing, focus on anesthesia.

2. Show interest on your pain rotation and get good lettters. Do a away rotation if you can

3. Nothing I would do different. Just do well in anesthesia and IT

 

[SeniorWrangler]

Pain's a pretty big field. What are you interested in doing with your fellowship? It's pretty hard to respond without knowing a little more.

 

[sweetalkr]

I would choose different colleagues, say maybe CRNAs, that had the n*$s to fight against other a)specialties b) inferior trained mid levels
that would donate to organizations to back us up as a specialty

 

[hrmm]

Pain's a pretty big field. What are you interested in doing with your fellowship? It's pretty hard to respond without knowing a little more.

What are the different sub-specialties in pain?