Pain Medicine Fellowship Curriculum

Clinical

A major emphasis of the Pain Medicine Fellowship is to develop well-rounded clinical skills, including diagnosis and comprehensive management of spine and pain conditions.  A variety of fluoroscopically and ultrasound-guided diagnostic and therapeutic procedures will be taught for addressing problems in the cervical, thoracic, lumbar spine, sacroiliac joint, peripheral joints, and tendons, including but not limited to:

• Epidural steroid injections
  • Transforaminal
  • Interlaminar
  • Caudal
• Spinal facet joint interventions
  • Intra-articular
  • Medial branch blocks
  • Radiofrequency ablation
• Sacroiliac joint interventions
  • Intra-articular
  • Lateral branch blocks
  • Radiofrequency ablation
• Peripheral joints
  • Intra-articular
  • Radiofrequency ablation (geniculate nerves of knee)
• Peripheral nerve blocks
• Sympathetic blocks
• Spinal cord stimulators (anesthesia elective time)
• Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections (PM&R sports clinics)

Research/Quality Improvement

• All fellows will actively participate in a research and quality improvement project throughout the year.
• Dedicated research time is available depending on the project and negotiated with the program director
• All fellows have the opportunity to complete a quality improvement seminar series and project

Didactic/Journal Clubs

• Fellows actively participate in weekly didactic sessions and journal clubs emphasizing broad and focused topics in pain medicine, musculoskeletal medicine and sports medicine
• Fellows have the opportunity to teach residents and medical students in small group sessions and larger lectures 

Sports Coverage

• PM&R Pain fellows have the opportunity to participate in the following: 
  • Pre-participation screening exams for the Division I CU and DU athletic teams
  • Medical coverage for CU and DU games/sporting events
  • Combined Sports Medicine Conferences with orthopedics, Family Medicine and Pediatrics