The Pain Fellowship Program in the Department of Anesthesiology is an ACGME approved multidisciplinary pain fellowship. Applicants who have completed an ACGME approved residency in one of the following disciplines are eligible to apply:

Anesthesiology
Neurology
Psychiatry
Rehabilitation Medicine

The course of training exposes residents and fellows to a wide variety of acute, chronic and cancer pain in the adult and pediatric setting.

The learning experience encompasses all aspects of medical, behavioral, interventional and complementary techniques in pain management. These include:

Medical management

Opioids
Antidepressants
Anticonvulsants
Membrane stabilizers
NMDA antagonists
Calcium channel blockers
Alpha 2 agonists
Muscle relaxants

Fluoroscopically Guided Spinal Injections

Translaminar epidural injections
Transforaminal epidural injections
Selective nerve root block
Facet Block
Median branch blocks
Sacroiliac joint injections
Discography
IDET

Interventional Procedures

Botox
Stellate ganglion blockade
Celiac plexus blockade
Gasserian ganglion blockade
Hypogastric Plexus Blockade

Kyphoplasties
Lumbar sympathetic Blockade
Ganglion of Impar Block
Peripheral Nerve blocks
Perineural infusion catheter placement
Intra-articular injections

Vertebroplasties

Neuroablative Procedures

Radiofrequency
Cryoablation
Chemical neurolysis

Neuromodulation

Spinal Cord Stimulator Placement
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator

Implantable technologies (in cooperation with neurosurgery)

Spinal Cord Stimulation
Intrathecal Drug Delivery System

Acupuncture

Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach
French Energetics
Auricular Acupuncture
Electroacupuncture

Behavioral Approaches

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Biofeedback
EMG Relaxation
Imagery

Trainees on the pain rotation gain clinical experience in the inpatient and outpatient setting in both the adult and pediatric population. Palliative care is also an integral part of the training program.

Trainees are exposed to all the above techniques of therapy. All interventions are performed in our own interventional suite. The pain center has a state of the art C-arm fluoroscopy unit (laser aiming and hard copy capable). Also available is a radiofrequency generator and cryo generator.

The fellowship program is truly multidisciplinary with interdepartmental conferences and participation. There are extensive learning opportunities in conjunction with the departments of Neurology,Neurosurgery, Psychiatry and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.  Faculty from other departments hold joint appointments in the Department of Anesthesiology. Elective rotations at outside institutions may also be done during the fellowship.

This fellowship program is ACGME accredited and provides eligibility for entry into the process for Subspecialty Certification in Pain Management of the American Board of Anesthesiology.

Pain Management Educational Activities

Journal Club
Monday 8 - 9 am
PH5 Anesthesia Library

Journal club is led by Dr. Weinberger. Papers are presented by the fellows and the rotating residents. It is attended by faculty, fellows and residents. Journal club focuses on presentation and discussion of current literature and articles from peer reviewed journals.

Dr. Mathew’s Ikea lounge Resident Lecture series
Monday 2 – 3 pm
Ikea Lounge, Milstein Hospital 4th floor.

This series, led by Dr. Mathew, is catered towards the Anesthesiology residents on the Pain rotation. The topics addressed encompass the basics in pain medicine including basic terminology, pain pathophysiology, pharmacology of commonly prescribed analgesic agents, equianalgesic concepts and opioid rotation, brief review of common pain syndromes and their management.

Behavioral Medicine Lectures
Tuesdays 8 – 9 am
PH5 Anesthesia Library

This series is led by Dr. Nomita Sonty and focuses on psychological aspects of chronic pain.

Fellow lecture series
a. Wednesday 8 – 9 am
PH5 Anesthesia Library
b. Friday 8 – 9 am
PH5 Anesthesia Library

This series of didactic lectures led by Dr. Mathew is attended by fellows and residents. It focuses on pain topics  based on the recommended fellowship curriculum from the ACGME and IASP.

Pain Board Review
4th Wednesday 12 – 1 pm
Pain Fellows Office PH 5

A review of pain key words and board prep is conducted by Dr. Mathew for residents and fellows. Residents complete an exit exam based on the key words on the last Wednesday of their pain rotation.

Case Conference/M and M rounds
4th Friday  9 -10 am
PH5 Anesthesia Library

A Multidisciplinary, monthly conference that includes all Pain center faculty andtrainees as well as invited staff from other departments. Selected cases are presented and discussed. In addition to being an educational tool, the conference also strives to improve patient care through open discussion of treatment successes and failures. This is an integral part of the QA process at the pain center.

Neurosurgery Spine Conference
Tuesday 4:30 - 5:30pm
8HN Milstein Hospital

Residents and Fellows participate in the Neurosurgery Spine conference / Journal club. This is conducted by the department of neurosurgery.

Pain and Addiction Conference
PH5 Anesthesia Library
1st Thursday 11 am – 12 pm

Pain Management Center Faculty

Michael L. Weinberger, M.D.
Associate Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology
Director, Pain Management Center
Fellowship: Pain Management, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine, and Palliative Care

William Schechter, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Director of Pediatric Pain
Training: Pediatrics & Anesthesiology, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center
Fellowship: Pediatrics & Anesthesiology

Nomita Sonty, Ph.D.
Fellowship: Pain Management & Behavioral Medicine, St. Louis University
Health Sciences Center
Associate Professor in Medical Psychology (in Anesthesiology & Psychiatry)
Attending, Pain Management Center
Experienced in biofeedback

John Saroyan, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Training: Pediatrics, UC, San Francisco-Fresno
Fellowship: Pediatric Pain and Palliative Care, Columbia University
Fellowship: Pediatric Palliative Care, Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Center

Leena Mathew, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology
Associate Director Pain Fellowship
Fellowship: Pain Management, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia Campus
Attending, Pain Management Center
Board Certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

Debra Miller-Saultz, MS, APRN-BC, FNP
Assistant Clinical Professor of Nursing
Nurse Practitioner
Training: Beth Israel, New York
Fellowship: Department of Pain and Palliative care, Beth Israel

Mary Ellen Tresgallo, MS, MPH, APRN-BC, FNP
Assistant Clinical Professor of Nursing
Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Pain Management

Elsa Wuhrman, MS, APRN-BC, ACNP, FNP
Assistant Clinical Professor of Nursing
Nurse Practitioner, Acute Pain Management
Board Certified in Pain Management Nursing

Anthony (Robin) Brown, M.B.Ch.B., F.F.A. (S.A.)
Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology and Vice Chair
Director, Acute Pain Management
Director, Orthopedic and Regional Anesthesia
Board Certified in Anesthesiology

For further information, write or contact:

Tara E. Brant
Coordinator, Regional Anesthesia Fellowship Program
622 West 168th Street, PH 5
New York, NY 10032
Phone: 212.305.5232
E-mail: to2106@columbia.edu