What's it like to be a Pain Doc?

[medstudent87]

MS-4 here, going into anesthesiology. Sorta interested in pain, but not sure if that's what I'll pursue.

Anyways, can someone on here tell me what a typical week is like for a pain doc? Do you have a procedure-day(s)? Are you ever in the OR? Do you like your job? Is it difficult to deal with pain patient all the time? How's the "lifestyle"?

Thanks!

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[deleted185747]

Nearly everyone you talk to will tell you all about their painful condition at length with great anxiety, depression and anger which will only increase if you don't agree to prescribe opioids.
Just kidding, it doesn't happen like that all the time. Check out a motivational website I refer to, to increase my goodwill towards humanity www.opiophile.org

 

[Physia]

Nearly everyone you talk to will tell you all about their painful condition at length with great anxiety, depression and anger which will only increase if you don't agree to prescribe opioids.
Just kidding, it doesn't happen like that all the time. Check out a motivational website I refer to, to increase my goodwill towards humanity www.opiophile.org

But here they are quoting medical literature and expressing concern for life-threatening side effects: http://forum.opiophile.org/showthread.php?43979-Pain-Physician-Journal-Combination-Opioid-Analgesics

First thread I clicked on, purely by chance. Hilarious. Thanks for the insight.

 

[lauderdoc]

I have practiced pain for seven years. I see patients three days and do procedures 1-2 days each week. Problem in community practice is that patients think a pain doc is where you go to get powerful pain pills and that is certainly a part of it, but it is frustrating trying to get people to do procedures when they have a different mindset. There have been several posts about income which are way out on another planet. Most pain docs do well and usually exceed 400K but the guys making a million bucks are a very small %.