Pain Fellowship Match 2015

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Nonphysiologic

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I figured we'd make a thread for the upcoming Pain fellowship Match for a position to start in July 2016.

Anyone hear back from any programs in regards to interview offers or even acceptances for the non match participating programs?

Also, when are most people submitting their applications?
 
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If I would have had to go through this match BS for fellowship, I'd probably still be taking OB anesthesia call. What a pain in the a$$.

Best of luck with it all. Just know that the hospitality and airline industry appreciates you!
 
Just got interview John Stroger Hospital Cook County. Anyone have any information on this? I submitted my application only a week ago...
 
Just got interview John Stroger Hospital Cook County. Anyone have any information on this? I submitted my application only a week ago...

One of the guys in my program matched there for next year. He seemed excited about it. Not sure if it's because of Chicago or the program but if you have any specifics you want to know I'll talk to him.
 
you mean next year like 2015 right? Yes I would like to hear about the program- can't seem to find much information about it other than what's available here. thanks! I have been out in private practice for several years but had originally always wanted to do a pain fellowship. Now I have the opportunity but don't know what the current market is like. I submitted 30 applications and have heard back from Cook County very early it seems to me. I am curious what the program is like and what it's geared towards. Chicago is a long way from home and I want to make sure the program is going to be good for me if I'm going to leave for a year.
 
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Just got an interview at Cook County as well - nice to hear back relatively early, any info would be greatly appreciated
 
Just out of curiosity what options did each of those places give you for interview dates? I am trying to figure during what time months most of the interviews will happen this year.

Cedars is March and April. I think 6 total dates. Mostly Fridays. I didn't apply to Dartmouth and haven't heard from Emory. I was just copying forward from other posts so there'd be a composite list for people to reference. Sorry for the confusion. But it seems like interview season will run from March to August with some programs starting early because of ERAS and some sticking to their schedule from past years.
 
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That IS a sandwich in my pocket. But I'm also happy to see you.

Cook county is a wed interview. March 2 dates, april 2 dates and June 2 dates. I asked for a day not listed I already have off from work and they were unable to accommodate so I am attempting to get off work for one of their dates which is a pain. Get it? I heard md anderson has practice restriction of 25-50 mile radius. Has anyone heard of this or any other programs that have restrictions. And are these enforceable?
 
Hey guys, when updating the interview list, can you continue the programs from before. Also, last year they were adding the way they were contacted (phone, email, snail mail). Thanks.

Dartmouth 2/23
Emory 2/25
Cedar Sinai 2/26
Maryland 3/2
 
Hello all.

I have only 1 call so far from Cook County. Any idea whether to expect any pimping questions during the interview process?

So current Toll is

Dartmouth 2/23
Emory 2/25, 3/6 (email)
Cedar Sinai 2/26 (email)
Cook County 2/26 (email)
Maryland 3/2
 
You guys realize this subspecialty will be dead in a couple years? Unless you are in anesthesiology where your greedy ass forefathers trained nurses to replace you, Id suggest staying in your primary specialty. You will be more secure. I am really sorry to say all this.
 
Put a sandwich in your pocket for Cedars. They don't feed you or give you time for lunch.

Cedars was the most unorganized interview I had during my fellowship season. Day ends around 3pm and no, there is no time for lunch or even coffee.

Also, no attendings in house at Cedars, they make the fellows (pain included) take overnight call as part of your ACGME salary as the "attending overnight"
 
Exactly. I basically do my primary specialty now anyway (pm&r). My ability to care for patients non-interventionally and manage more complex patients with pain issues is certainly expanded and refined via a solid pain fellowship.
 
If you have even half a mind for business, pain is a genius move. You give yourself the luxury of independence. Plus, over half of the docs I've spoken to have never even heard of facility fees (mistake #1). Add that to insurance-independent revenue streams (acupuncture, proprietary health supplements), and attracting the right patient demographics (international insurances, for instance) and you'll have no trouble affording that yacht or private school tuitions.

Naysayers gonna naysay.... you'd be better off seeking out advice from docs who are still successfully tapping the market. People are successful in business every day. Try opening a restaurant.... now that's a tough living.

Of course, if you have zero interest in managing your own clinic or working for yourself, that's a different story.
 
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If you have even half a mind for business, pain is a genius move. You give yourself the luxury of independence. Plus, over half of the docs I've spoken to have never even heard of facility fees (mistake #1). Add that to insurance-independent revenue streams (acupuncture, proprietary health supplements), and attracting the right patient demographics (international insurances, for instance) and you'll have no trouble affording that yacht or private school tuitions.

Naysayers gonna naysay.... you'd be better off seeking out advice from docs who are still successfully tapping the market. People are successful in business every day. Try opening a restaurant.... now that's a tough living.

Of course, if you have zero interest in managing your own clinic or working for yourself, that's a different story.

You must be a resident. Everybody knows about facility fees. You want facility fees? Good luck getting a CON to open an ASC. That ship sailed 5 years ago at best.

Proprietary health supplements? Naturopaths have that locked down and you don't need to be pain doc to sell that stuff.

Sounds like you intend on ripping off your patients every way you can to make a living. Thats not ethical business.
 
Excuse my undisguised ambition, my goal is not to insult others or fuel fruitless arguments. You're right, I am a resident, and my claims are solely based on my short experience with a small surgery center (not a pain clinic) that I helped achieve accreditation and does very well. Most of my ideas are based off what I saw there. They did mostly general cases, and I don't know how the facility fee would change in a clinic without an anesthesia machine. We also didn't have a c-arm.

I think it's possible to be creative with your business model to increase profits. I never mentioned anything about "ripping off patients," especially with the health supplements--naturopathic medicine is certainly less invasive than sticking a needle in someone's spine, and it serves to generate an insurance-independent stream of income... while also helping patients. You are free to disabuse me of impossible notions, but I don't think the fact that some other specialist has something "locked down" is a reason to eliminate it as a possibility. My desire to create a successful business can and does operate under the umbrella of wanting to help people with chronic pain feel better. I also really want a yacht. (joke)

About CONs: my understanding is they are distributed based on region. I know they are impossible to get in NYC, but I know a number of facilities acquired them in NJ (coast of NY) very recently. Are you basing your info on Washington state alone? I would welcome any information you can give me based on your experience.
 
as a physician you might consider only offering things that have evidence to support your decision to prescribe them, just saying
 
good, your "proprietary health supplements" had us concerned. Remember if it's not FDA approved you don't really know what's in it. Supplements are a sketchy realm.
 
Ha, luckily you can purchase my special patented PainAway!® supplement for only 3 easy installments of $49.95! You'll be pain-free long before you even think "malpractice," guaranteed!*


*not guaranteed
 
Can we keep this thread to strictly to interview invites. Thanks.

Dartmouth 2/23
Emory 2/25, 3/6
Cedar Sinai 2/26
Cook County 2/26
Maryland 3/2
Iowa 3/17
 
The 411 on cook county pain. Coming from a cook county resident in anesthesia and a fellow pain applicant.
The program favors B&B injections, rfa, 7-10 stims in total per year, no kypho, no pumps, minimal narcotic rx
You work with 5 pain/anesthesiologists, 2 Associated pmr physicians, acupuncture, and psychologist
4 fellowship spots, usually two go to in house anesthesia residents. (This has known to change year to year, ranges from 1-4 in house.)

Daily didactic to start your day at 7
Four fellows rotate in different aspects of pain management: (in one week blocks)
1. Acute - pca and epidural management
2. Chronic - AM procedures with fluoro and usx (avg 8), PM clinic
3. Neurology
4. Palliative medicine
Residents help in clinic with one acute and one chronic.
Average patients seen in clinic 30-40
Average procedures done in clinic per day - 15 (6 -8 scheduled fluoro, rest are knees and shoulders and tps)
Average OR time, 1 day/mo.
Work day 7-3; half day Fridays.
No in house moon lighting, but moon lighting is allowed.
Call is take home q4. I don't think I've ever seen a pain fellow come back after 6 pm. Basically you hafta round one weekend a month. All in house pain issues can be deferred to the 5 on call anesthesia residents and one attending.

Hope this helps. It's not the heaviest interventional pain fellowship, but it will teach you what you need to learn in a relaxed atmosphere.

Nb: this year we have five in house residents applying for pain...
 
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Dartmouth 2/23
Emory 2/25, 3/6
Cedar Sinai 2/26
Cook County 2/26
Maryland 3/2
Iowa 3/17
Toledo 3/23-email
 
Can we keep the (method) by which interviews were sent. Thanks.

Dartmouth 2/23
Emory 2/25, 3/6 (email)
Cedar Sinai 2/26 (email)
Cook County 2/26 (email)
Maryland 3/2
Iowa 3/17
Toledo 3/23 (email)
 
Dartmouth 2/23 (email)
Emory 2/25, 3/6 (email)
Cedar Sinai 2/26 (email)
Cook County 2/26 (email)
Maryland 3/2 (email)
Iowa 3/17
Toledo 3/23 (email)
 
Dartmouth 2/23 (email)
Emory 2/25, 3/6 (email)
Cedar Sinai 2/26 (email)
Cook County 2/26 (email)
Maryland 3/2 (email)
Iowa 3/17
Toledo 3/23 (email)
UC DAVIS 4/1 (email)
 
You guys realize this subspecialty will be dead in a couple years? Unless you are in anesthesiology where your greedy ass forefathers trained nurses to replace you, Id suggest staying in your primary specialty. You will be more secure. I am really sorry to say all this.

Just curious, can u please elaborate. TxtTxt
 
please keep this thread clean. no one here wants to hear discussions about the future of pain as a career. all we want to hear is about the future of our fellowship applications. we have already decided to do this so leave the distractions out of it please.
FYI I am a practicing anesthesiologist and have been for 6 years. I've done my due diligence and don't need any advice at this point.
Special thanks to the Cook County Resident. I'm very intrigued about your program and would love to come train there. I'm interviewing April 29th. PM if you will be around that day.
 
Dartmouth 2/23 (email)
Emory 2/25, 3/6 (email)
Cedar Sinai 2/26 (email)
Cook County 2/26 (email)
Maryland 3/2 (email)
New Mexico 3/7 (telephone)
Iowa 3/17
Toledo 3/23 (email)
UC DAVIS 4/1 (email)
 
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@soccerpunk600: From the thread last year, mid/end of April through early June - although, I'm sure others may have a better feel for this myself.