This is a twelve-month fellowship offered to Anesthesiologists who are interested in comprehensive pain management. An emphasis is placed on teaching interventional pain medicine in an evidence-based manner. Candidates learn fluoroscopic and ultrasound-guided techniques in addition to being exposed to intravenous high-dose ketamine infusions, medical and interventional cancer pain management, and spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation programs. Pain Fellows also learn about psychology, pharmacology, and physical therapy in pain management while working as part of a multidisciplinary team that includes healthcare professionals from these specialties.
Locations
The candidate will work primarily at the Toronto Western Hospital (TWH). The pain fellow will deal primarily with chronic pain inpatient and outpatient consultations but may also become involved with certain acute-to-chronic pain cases as well as certain transitional pain cases. The Comprehensive Integrated Pain Program at TWH has allied health support from a nurse, psychologist, and physical therapist.
Pain fellows will rotate to the Wasser Pain Management Centre at Mt. Sinai Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, and Women’s College Hospital.
Call Duties
Pain fellows will not be expected to work overnight on-call in the operating room. There will be the expectation that the pain fellows will share weekend or after-hours on-call coverage for chronic pain consultations, procedures, and follow-ups. There is no mandate for the pain fellow to work in the operating room as an anesthesia provider, but this is negotiable, as some pain fellows will choose to work one day per week in the operating room and to share on-call duties with other anesthesia fellows to maintain their general anesthesia skills.
Research
There are numerous research projects conducted by the faculty. The fellows are expected to be involved in at least one research project during the rotation. Fellows are expected to present posters and oral presentations at major national and international meetings. Fellows are also encouraged to publish in peer-reviewed, indexed medical journals.
Education
The multidisciplinary pain fellowship is closely affiliated with the University of Toronto Pain Medicine Residency Program, the Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI), and the University of Toronto Centre for Study of Pain (UTCSP). There are various educational programs, including the weekly rounds for the Pain Medicine residents. The fellows will also receive complimentary registration for the annual National Interventional Pain Workshop at Toronto Western Hospital and the Ultrasound Pain Medicine Course organized by pain physicians in the department.
Applications
If you are interested in applying for the Chronic Pain Medicine fellowship at Toronto Western Hospital for:
Applications for January 2024 have now closed.
Applications for July 2024 have now closed.
January 2025, please complete this online application form. The closing date is March 31, 2024.
July 2025, please complete this online application form. The closing date is September 30, 2024.
