2020-2021 Pain Fellowship Interview Thread

IPSIS: Formerly the Spine Intervention Society
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Although it's been difficult hope that this season is treating everyone well. Just out of curiosity though how many people on this thread are either EM trained or Family Medicine trained?
 
Current fellow here. Based on what I have been hearing from many applicants, and my own experience as a current fellow in a very large city, programs in larger cities have been disproportionately affected by the decrease in volume. However, from what I’m hearing about MGH and Brigham in particular, their volume has actually maintained pretty steady. My guess is those two programs in particular will be even more competitive than years past, and programs in certain other big cities will be less desirable because of less volume (quality of life issues 2/2 covid aside)
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Which programs have had decreases in volume? It's been hard to tease this out on the interview trail.
 
molliepercocet said:
Although it's been difficult hope that this season is treating everyone well. Just out of curiosity though how many people on this thread are either EM trained or Family Medicine trained?
Click to expand...

I’m EM trained. Over the course of interview season, I’ve seen a total of 3 other EM applicants at my various interviews. No FM so far. Also no Psych or Rads. I think FM is an even less common pathway to Pain than EM which is rare enough.
 
Last edited:
Finished my interview process. Interviewed at a lot of top programs. Not taking in account location, and wanting to practice out in California post fellowship, any opinions on training at Cleveland Clinic or BIDMC. Which is the better long term career move? Thanks in advance
 
lickmywalrus said:
Finished my interview process. Interviewed at a lot of top programs. Not taking in account location, and wanting to practice out in California post fellowship, any opinions on training at Cleveland Clinic or BIDMC. Which is the better long term career move? Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
I don't think you can go wrong with either one. I would choose based on location if I were you.
 
deadhead2 said:
I’m EM trained. Over the course of interview season, I’ve seen a total of 3 other EM applicants at my various interviews. No FM so far. Also no Psych or Rads. I think FM is an even less common pathway to Pain than EM which is rare enough.
Click to expand...


How did you do this cycle as far as number of interviews?
 
lickmywalrus said:
Finished my interview process. Interviewed at a lot of top programs. Not taking in account location, and wanting to practice out in California post fellowship, any opinions on training at Cleveland Clinic or BIDMC. Which is the better long term career move? Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

CCF. Save some money on living. Get the solid brand and a very large network of connections across the world.
 
yup, and saving money might be even more important than before:
 
forums.studentdoctor.net

Congratulations, Pain MD's just got a 7% pay cut...

CMS Announces 2021 Physician Fee Schedules and Other Important Updates As usual, today, August 4, 2020, ASIPP would like to share multiple news from the President, and CMS covering the following issues: 1. Executive order expanding telehealth benefits permanently for Medicare beneficiaries...
forums.studentdoctor.net forums.studentdoctor.net
 
chudat said:
How did you do this cycle as far as number of interviews?
Click to expand...

I think I did fairly well? I received 11 invites. Have the last interview coming up in early September but I’m otherwise done. Granted, I applied really broadly. Regional bias hasn’t really been an issue as far as I can tell.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
do programs send out the "make sure to register for the NRMP, send us your ID and name" to everyone who interviewed? I.E nyu? or perhaps the people who they are more interested in?
 
Just wondering that anybody thinking to send email to programs as a reminder bonfire making rank list ?
 
molliepercocet said:
Although it's been difficult hope that this season is treating everyone well. Just out of curiosity though how many people on this thread are either EM trained or Family Medicine trained?
Click to expand...

Current fellow (EM trained). Interviewed at 16 places last year (18 invites). Saw 1 EM applicant on the interview trail, and know of 3 others. I know at least 3 EM matched (including myself) last year, 2 did not (I think 1 declined/dropped out of the match). I also saw 3 neurology applicants, 1 psych, and 1 rads. No FM.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Brachialis021 said:
Is there a scramble or SOAP process if one were not to match?
Click to expand...
"What Happens If I Do Not Match To A Position?


Applicants who learn at 12:00 p.m. eastern time on their Fellowship Match Day that they did not match to a program can access the List of Unfilled Programs in the R3® system. NRMP policy prohibits the sharing of proprietary Match data and information with individuals not authorized to receive it or from posting Match data and information to any website or non-NRMP-related matching service."

from What happens if I do not match to a position? - The Match, National Resident Matching Program
 
Don’t worry, you guys will all match. This year wasn’t particularly competitive from what I have heard. Maybe others have heard differently.
 
GlowInTheDark said:
Wouldnt think that by the amount of “unprecedented amount of Highly-qualifies applicants“ emails that I got.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Almost every program director I spoke to said applicant number was the highest they have ever seen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Hahahaha
Usually “unprecedented number of applicants” is a phrase seen most often in rejection emails
 
Peterluger said:
Hahahaha
Usually “unprecedented number of applicants” is a phrase seen most often in rejection emails
Click to expand...
My home institution had 2-3 times more internal applicants compared to previous years, and my understanding is that it is the same at some other institutions. In any case, we should always plan for the worst and hope for the best.
 
TheRoadLessTravell'ed said:
My home institution had 2-3 times more internal applicants compared to previous years, and my understanding is that it is the same at some other institutions. In any case, we should always plan for the worst and hope for the best.
Click to expand...
Interesting....I’m assuming your home institution is outside of New York
 
Could also be that people interviewed at more programs. I would have interviewed at 1/2 of the programs that I did if the interviews were in person. I found that I could use a bunch of my post call days for non-local interviews and definitely could not have done so if they were in person.
 
Got Em said:
Current fellow (EM trained). Interviewed at 16 places last year (18 invites). Saw 1 EM applicant on the interview trail, and know of 3 others. I know at least 3 EM matched (including myself) last year, 2 did not (I think 1 declined/dropped out of the match). I also saw 3 neurology applicants, 1 psych, and 1 rads. No FM.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your insight. Was just curious as I know pain is getting more competitive was wondering if the other specialties are finding out about how great pain really is.
 
lickmywalrus said:
Finished my interview process. Interviewed at a lot of top programs. Not taking in account location, and wanting to practice out in California post fellowship, any opinions on training at Cleveland Clinic or BIDMC. Which is the better long term career move? Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
I interviewed at UCI. I liked their program actually. The only downside compared to the places you are mentioning is that they do <20 SCS cases/year, not certified for DRG and are slowly starting to do vertebral interspaces/SI joint fusion.
 
Brachialis021 said:
I can’t decide between UCSD, Vanderbilt
Click to expand...

Nashville and San Diego are two very different cities. California and Tennessee are two VERY different states.

Where would you rather live and where do you want to practice afterwards?

The two programs will each have their strengths and weaknesses but they’re both strong programs and nitpicking the differences I think is a low-yield endeavor.

Choose the place where you feel you’ll be happiest.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
au bon pain said:
Curious that Hopkin's new PD, while I'm sure brilliant, is only 1 year out of fellowship. Anybody heard what went down there?
Click to expand...
There's a lot of flux on PDs lately on the east coast it seems. It would be odd to appoint someone just a year out of fellowship, but I imagine it's not a well reimbursed job and senior faculty may not want it. I imagine there are other times leadership may prefer a different or junior director who won't push back on things that effect fellows education. I've got no idea though what's going on at JHU.
 
TheRoadLessTravell'ed said:
Also NYU? anyone have insights into their program? Specifically verteflex, stim, and kypho number?
Click to expand...
It’s in NYC, a city disproportionately affected economically by the exodus of residents and business shutdowns in Manhattan specifically, during a pandemic that will end in 2022. The procedure numbers are down and will be down for the foreseeable future, and this isn’t unique to NYU, it applies to all the NYC programs.
 
For the people here live in NYC or have very good firsthand knowledge of it: are things getting back to normal in NYC?

I’m in the south and i can say for us that procedural volume is pretty much back to normal or close to it.
 
Propofool123 said:
For the people here live in NYC or have very good firsthand knowledge of it: are things getting back to normal in NYC?

I’m in the south and i can say for us that procedural volume is pretty much back to normal or close to it.
Click to expand...
Nothing is back to normal in NYC. The city is less safe and procedure volumes are down, and are continuing to remain low because of the exodus of population from manhattan in particular. The vacancy rate for Manhattan apartments is 3 times what it was last year
 
And one other thing, for anyone who says otherwise about NYC, and how it’ll be “back” soon, just do yourself a favor and ask them one question. If they’re not gonna be honest with others, are they at least honest with themselves about the reality of the situation?
 
Peterluger said:
And one other thing, for anyone who says otherwise about NYC, and how it’ll be “back” soon, just do yourself a favor and ask them one question. If they’re not gonna be honest with others, are they at least honest with themselves about the reality of the situation?
Click to expand...

Who is saying this? Are you currently training in NYC?
 
au bon pain said:
Who is saying this? Are you currently training in NYC?
Click to expand...
Who said this? Jerry Seinfeld said NYC will be back. Thats the only “who” that I can think of off the top of my head at this moment. And then paparrazzi caught Seinfeld himself hiding his sorry ass out in the Hamptons. LOL. What a joke. And yes I’m a current fellow in NYC
 
Peterluger said:
Who said this? Jerry Seinfeld said NYC will be back. Thats the only “who” that I can think of off the top of my head at this moment. And then paparrazzi caught Seinfeld himself hiding his sorry ass out in the Hamptons. LOL. What a joke. And yes I’m a current fellow in NYC
Click to expand...

Gotcha. Good luck man, I'm sure you'll still get what you need out of the year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I won’t, but it’s ok. Anesthesia job market still good around here
 
Peterluger said:
I won’t, but it’s ok. Anesthesia job market still good around here
Click to expand...

It’s seriously that bad that you don’t think you’ll get enough exposure to procedures/patients to be able to practice on your own??

Is it that bad at every program? Even the “interventionally heavy” programs ?
 
Last edited:
gaschicago said:
Thoughts on Brigham vs BID vs MGH?
Click to expand...

BWH: most procedurally focused of all the Harvard programs.

BID: they interview a ton of people for their spots. Simopolous is a big Nevro guy so you’ll get good exposure to it but not sure how great the rest of their neuromod exposure is. They have another male faculty member that is pretty interventional but that’s about it. Lectures every single day seem like a drag.

MGH: research and academically heavy but the least procedural from my understand of all Harvard programs
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

S
Pain fellowship 2025-2026
Replies
1
Views
478
PainDoc2025
P
S
Apply to pain fellowship in McGill university?
Replies
1
Views
381
Doctodd
D
N
Pain fellowship match results
Replies
23
Views
3K
oreosandsake
oreosandsake
strb_thndr
2023-2024 Pain Fellowship Application Thread
Replies
22
Views
22K
mdo1738
M
drusso
Fellowships Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel: Implications for Pain?
Replies
40
Views
2K
Laryngospasm
Laryngospasm
Top