Member May 2026: Matching into a Pain Fellowship: The Tools Needed for Success (On-Demand)-Session Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The session was a member community Q&A about applying to pain medicine fellowships, led by Loyola physicians Drs. Krimpreet Bajaj, Adam Hintz, and Louis Solis. After housekeeping notes about conduct, recording, and participation, the panelists introduced their training backgrounds and discussed why they chose pain medicine.<br /><br />They emphasized that pain is a multidisciplinary, evolving field with strong procedural and non-procedural components. Advice for residents included gaining exposure to palliative care, rheumatology, physical therapy, social work, and chronic pain evaluation, while also learning procedural anatomy, fluoroscopy, and complication management.<br /><br />A major topic was fellowship selection: ACGME programs were described as the “gold standard,” especially for academic careers and broader geographic flexibility, while non-ACGME/NASS programs can offer excellent procedural volume, often in private practice settings. The panel repeatedly stressed that connections, mentorship, and personality matter as much as credentials. They encouraged residents to find one strong mentor, engage in pain-related research or case reports, join pain societies, and build relationships with coordinators, fellows, and faculty.<br /><br />They also discussed applications, recommending casting a wide net and applying to enough programs to secure several interviews. Rotating at a program of interest was highlighted as one of the best ways to get noticed, essentially serving as an extended interview. Finally, each panelist shared that they were very happy with their career choices, valuing the field’s patient impact, work-life balance, and opportunities in academics or private practice.

Keywords

pain medicine fellowship

ACGME programs

NASS programs

fellowship application

mentorship

procedural anatomy

fluoroscopy

chronic pain evaluation

pain societies

academic medicine

private practice