Is it worth it for an IM doctor to do a pain management fellowship?

[experiment113]

Hi all, I am wondering if an IM trained physician would be able to find work and thrive as a pain doctor after doing a pain management fellowship? I can tell that most anesthesiologists and PM&R doctors do pain, but I am wondering if an IM doctor can be as equally successful in pain management. Thanks.

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[Orin]

Worth it is a difficult thing to discuss as the opportunity cost varies

Technically, you can apply to the fellowship from any residency. Getting boarded just requires having primary certification in something generally, and there are quite a few "other" board certification processes. Realistically, it is generally anesthesia/physiatry and then a bunch of others that vary based on the program director's preferences.

Pragmatically, what is it you want to do as a pain medicine specialist from IM? Do you plan on doing interventions? Do you want to manage medications? Do you want just a higher salary?

 

[adiradirim]

IM can do a pain medicine fellowship if they can be accepted into a spot. However, they cannot be pain board certified by the ABMS (which is recognized nationally), but they may be able to get boarded by ABPM (American Board of Pain Medicine) which is not as widely recognized as an official board certification.

 

[experiment113]

Worth it is a difficult thing to discuss as the opportunity cost varies

Technically, you can apply to the fellowship from any residency. Getting boarded just requires having primary certification in something generally, and there are quite a few "other" board certification processes. Realistically, it is generally anesthesia/physiatry and then a bunch of others that vary based on the program director's preferences.

Pragmatically, what is it you want to do as a pain medicine specialist from IM? Do you plan on doing interventions? Do you want to manage medications? Do you want just a higher salary?

just a higher salary lol

 

[Baron Samedi]

just a higher salary lol

Live like a resident and put as much money as you can into a standard index fund such as VTSAX. You'll make more.

 

[SandmanMD]

just a higher salary lol

I would think there are easier ways to make more money than doing a pain fellowship within your field of medicine that have less headaches compared to pain medicine.

I know a couple IM and FM docs just do weekend courses and do cosmetic derm and they had a huge increase in take home pay.

 

[oreosandsake]

garrette lasalle MD at cleveland clinic did IM then pain. he is boarded through the ABPMR

i forget where radiologists go to get boarded but they are boarded through a different body as well.

 

[Prehealth1011]

Can someone give an example of the kind of pain fellowship that will take an IM resident? Most of the nass accredited ones don’t seem to be okay with it. Acgme ones are out. Are there other ones?

 

[DrSpine]

Higher salary alone is a terrible reason to get into Pain Management. If you want more money, take the money you make from IM and invest it or open up other businesses.

 

[Agast]

Don’t waste time doing a pain fellowship. Hire a bunch of CRNAs and “supervise” them doing pain. This is the future. Our colleagues are already training their midlevels to do procedures for them.

 

[Dr. Ice]

Don’t waste time doing a pain fellowship. Hire a bunch of CRNAs and “supervise” them doing pain. This is the future. Our colleagues are already training their midlevels to do procedures for them.

Sad but true

 

[deleted472101]

There are great procedural IM specialities that would be way easier to get into than Pain from an IM background

 

[perromaxfilm]

I'm anesthesia / pain. I wouldn't recommend pain fellowship. Residency in gas, PMR, and neurology heavily emphasizes the medications, exposure to blocks, etc. A program that would take an internist is probably one that wouldn't give you full competency in procedures. Cervical work is already stressful enough. Also the job market would be very limited - I bet most employers would pass on the unusual background. Depending on the PGY year, it may make more sense to transfer to gas as a pgy2 - there are advanced spots out there.