Pain Medicine is the area where private practice is leaps and bounds ahead of academics. Very few pain management programs are teaching vertebroplasty. However, after you finish your pain fellowship, you can go to a one day cadaver course and then apply for credentials through your institution.
One of the reasons that vertebroplasty is not done is because the referral basis is not there. Many neurosurgeons, orthosurgeons, and interventional radiologists do it. If you start doing it, they see it as you stepping into their turf. You risk losing your referral basis. Well, at least at my institution, this is true.
One way to learn is though is to go to a program that has strong links with the alumni who are willing to teach you in their private practice. Also, the risks of vertebroplasty are significant. If some of that PMMA (cement) goes too far posterior and ends up in the epidural space, only emergent neurosurgical decompression will save the patient from possible paralysis.
You can find more info at:
painphysicians.org
Good luck!
