Mass General Brigham/Brigham and Women's Hospital Program

The Brigham and Women's Pain Medicine Fellowship program is deeply committed to offering a distinguished fellowship experience with a strong foundation in the multidisciplinary approach to pain assessment and treatment. Each year, the program accepts ten fellows into a curriculum that emphasizes compassion, practice-based learning, professionalism, and systems-based methodologies.

At the core of the program is the Center for Pain Medicine, which immerses trainees fully in the aspects of pain management across a variety of scenarios, both inpatient and outpatient. The Center boasts a diverse array of professionals including specialists in anesthesiology, physiatry, neurology, psychiatry, psychology, and nursing, reflecting a truly unified approach to patient care for both simple and complex pain conditions 1.

Clinical Training and Rotations

Fellows in the program engage in extensive clinical exposure that includes comprehensive evaluative practices and management strategies for diverse patient populations. They will work with a range of interventions from simple headache blocks to complex fluoroscopic, guided injections and surgeries. The fellowship comprises rotations through various services including inpatient units, neurology, psychiatry/physiatry, veteran affairs outpatient centers, Boston Children's Hospital, and palliative care, thus ensuring a well-rounded training experience 1.

Notably, fellows are given substantial exposure to surgical techniques, including the use of intrathecal pumps, spinal cord stimulators, and minimally invasive lumbar decompression, enabling them to acquire critical technical skills essential to pain management 1.

Curriculum and Simulation Training

The curriculum includes access to the Harvard Interventional Pain Simulation Center, where fellows enhance their technical skills and comfort levels with fluoroscopic-guided procedures. This hands-on, cadaver-based simulation training is accompanied by formal debriefing sessions and technical didactic lectures designed to deepen understanding and improve clinical competencies 1.

Research Opportunities

The program places a strong emphasis on research, with participants encouraged to engage in clinical research related to both chronic and acute pain issues. This is supplemented by innovative educational initiatives that are rooted in ongoing research conducted at the associated Clinical Trials Center. The fellowship aims to advance knowledge and practical applications in the field of pain management 1.

Salary and Benefits

As of 2024, the starting salary for a PGY-5 fellow in the program is set at $95,150, with additional employment benefits that include health, dental, and disability insurance 1. Details regarding trainee contracts and other specific benefits are available within the relevant sections of the associated resources.

Visa Support

The program is supportive of international applicants and offers sponsorship for both H1B and J1 visas, facilitating a broad recruitment range 1. It is relevant to note that fellows on a J1 visa are not permitted to moonlight during their training.

Competitive Selection Process

Admission to the Pain Medicine Fellowship is highly competitive, with only completed applications reviewed for selection. Applicants are required to submit a detailed application package that includes a medical school transcript, USMLE transcripts, and letters of recommendation, among other documents 1. Specific eligibility criteria such as the maximum number of failed STEP exams or year of graduation are typically detailed in the application guidelines but should be confirmed through available resources.

Application Timeline

Applications for the fellowship typically commence within a specified cycle listed on the program's resources, with interviews conducted a year or more prior to the fellowship start date 1. Fellowships are supported by the National Residency Matching Program, further enhancing the structured process of placement.