Physician Scientists in Pain Medicine

[Tothepub]

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Part of what is so cool about Pain Medicine is the innovation in the field, both in terms of device technology but also in basic and translational science. The approval of Suzetrigine, even in the face of only modest clinical benefit, is still huge for the analgesic space.

Curious to see if anyone here is a basic scientist and a pain physician. What institutional models have worked for this? How does your clinical practice work in this type of arrangement?

 

[drusso]

Part of what is so cool about Pain Medicine is the innovation in the field, both in terms of device technology but also in basic and translational science. The approval of Suzetrigine, even in the face of only modest clinical benefit, is still huge for the analgesic space.

Curious to see if anyone here is a basic scientist and a pain physician. What institutional models have worked for this? How does your clinical practice work in this type of arrangement?

As a medical student, I completed an NIH-funded K30 master's degree in clinical research focused on nonpharmacological pain management. I'm in private practice and have mostly focused on health policy.

 

[Orin]

Part of what is so cool about Pain Medicine is the innovation in the field, both in terms of device technology but also in basic and translational science. The approval of Suzetrigine, even in the face of only modest clinical benefit, is still huge for the analgesic space.

Curious to see if anyone here is a basic scientist and a pain physician. What institutional models have worked for this? How does your clinical practice work in this type of arrangement?

Journavx may be cool science but may also be clinically irrelevant other than proof of concept.

There are a handful of places that have pathways but very few fully interventional physicians that do basic science. Most institutions don't have models for it that succeed with any realistic probability, especially in anesthesiology-based programs. The programs work best though with physicians that stay internally to facilitate longitudinal research and relationships. Generally, there is a drop in pay the first years and then a lower possible ceiling due to lower productivity.

Clinical research is driven by clinical volume, which really doesn't happen in most academic centers for pain, but depending on what type of work you want to do, it can be feasible.

This is a higher yield conversation with individuals that are on the pathway or have recently succeeded on it as evidenced by an NIH K/R award. I counsel people to look at the industry/KOL pathway and reach out to people doing work they're interested in, as the classic NIH pathway isn't reasonable for most clinicians.

 

[Tothepub]

I will definitely have to connect with the individuals that are on the path. In Anesthesiology, there are a number of departments that supplement the 80/20 researchers to full clinical base salary for a number of years while they try and get their grants. Im wondering if this would also be the case for fellowship trained pain docs in Anesthesia departments. Would the pay be comparable? Would it be taking a big pay cut to do an extra year for fellowship?

Its disheartening that after 8 years of MD/PhD, 5 of Residency/Fellowship +/- 2-3 years of Postdoc there is still no real clarity around what kinds of jobs are realistic and what the salaries can be... but that is the nature of the game I guess.

 

[lobelsteve]

As a medical student, I completed an NIH-funded K30 master's degree in clinical research focused on nonpharmacological pain management. I'm in private practice and have mostly focused on health policy.

Interests include SOS and Cluneal Neuralgia.

By interests I mean fetish.