Emory Pain Center is one of the nation's leading pain clinics with a strong focus on resident and fellow teaching, while also being committed to advancements in clinical research. The clinic provides a multi-modal approach that includes recommendations for physical therapy, interventions such as epidural steroid injections, in-house acupuncture services, management of non-opioid medications, a focus on safety and minimization of opioid use, and understanding the impacts of mental health and other socioeconomic issues. As a large academic institution, the Emory Pain Center sees a wide range of pain etiologies, including chronic low back pain, major joint pain, peripheral neuropathy, headaches and facial pain, cancer-related pain, fibromyalgia as well as uncommon diagnoses such as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
In clinic, residents will focus on seeing new patients with an emphasis on gathering clinical history, performing physical examinations, developing a differential diagnosis and plan, before presenting to the faculty for discussion. They will gain invaluable experience in different pain etiologies, patient counseling, and exposure to a variety of pain interventions. In addition to the outpatient clinic, residents will have several days throughout the chronic pain month to join fellows and faculty in the ambulatory surgery center at Emory Executive Park. Residents will see patients in the preoperative area, assist with procedure room setup, and participate in performing nerve blocks, epidural steroid injections, nerve ablations, joint injections, spinal cord stimulation, and other advanced procedures.
The Emory Pain Center aims to provide our trainees with a well-rounded introduction to chronic pain management and would be delighted to discuss with any interested residents on the possibilities of a career in chronic pain management and the logistics of applying to a fellowship program.