University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Program

The Pain Medicine Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics offers a comprehensive and multidisciplinary training program for physicians aspiring to specialize in Pain Medicine. This ACGME-accredited fellowship is structured to provide fellows with both clinical and research experiences in the management of pain across various patient populations.

Program Overview

The fellowship accepts one fellow trained in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) and one trained in Anesthesiology each year. The program's goal is to cultivate pain medicine specialists capable of developing and implementing individualized treatment plans based on comprehensive assessments of patients' pain and related comorbidities. This also includes fostering positive team dynamics and utilizing interventional pain management techniques effectively. Additionally, fellows are expected to be equipped with competencies to assess the cultural and ethnic considerations in patient care 1.

Aims Statement

The primary aims of the fellowship are to develop future expert clinicians, educators, and researchers in pain medicine. The program emphasizes professionalism, lifelong learning, and diligent practice. Comprehensive education is offered in a stimulating environment conducive to acquiring critical knowledge and skills needed for exceptional practice 2.

Clinical Experience

Fellows will partake in a diverse clinical experience divided between clinics, procedure rooms, and specialty clinics. Their hands-on training includes evaluating patients and performing interventional pain management procedures, such as spinal injections and nerve blocks. This includes a progressive training model that allows fellows to build their competencies over time, focusing on outpatient pain management and techniques tailored to address acute and chronic pain issues.

The Madison Surgery Center serves as a primary site where thousands of spinal interventional procedures are performed annually. Fellows will participate in comprehensive care through rotations in specialty clinics such as the Spine Clinic, Pain Management Clinic, and Cancer Pain Clinic, among others 3.

Educational Experience

Education within the program includes weekly board reviews, lectures, journal clubs, and clinical case discussions. Fellows are engaged in a variety of training sessions including mindfulness practices and simulated clinical skills labs. Significant emphasis is placed on research dissemination, including presentations at the Annual Pain & PM&R Research Day, exposing fellows to the academic responsibilities expected in pain medicine 4.

Research Opportunities

Fellows are required to dedicate 10% of their time to research efforts, focusing on initiating projects and creating research protocols. Presenting research findings at local, national, and international meetings is encouraged, with particular attention to areas such as neuropathic pain and treatment outcomes 5.

Application Process

The program is highly competitive, seeking candidates with a strong background in either Anesthesiology or PM&R. Applicants must submit a personal statement, curriculum vitae, and three recommendation letters, all assessed through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Additional requirements include board eligibility or certification upon the start of the program and current ACLS certification 6.

Visa Support

The program provides visa sponsorship options for qualified international medical graduates. The types of visas typically sponsored include J-1 visas, which are commonly utilized for fellowship training. The program is committed to supporting international applicants through the necessary visa processes.

Competitiveness and Application Requirements

This fellowship program is regarded as highly competitive, attracting candidates from both DO and IMG backgrounds. The program does impose certain limitations on the application process, such as a maximum of one failed STEP exam, to ensure that all fellows possess a robust foundational knowledge base.

Current Fellows

Fellows in the program benefit from a supportive environment, where they are encouraged to collaborate and learn from each other as well as from the program's faculty. Publications and ongoing research projects form an integral part of the fellows' training experiences 7.

Faculty

The fellowship is backed by a multidisciplinary faculty with expertise across various fields related to pain medicine. Faculty members are deeply committed to fellow education, providing mentorship and supervision throughout the program 8.