Pain Trainee from UK

[Snowflake007]

Hello all,

I would be thankful for some constructive advice. I am a UK Anaesthetic trainee( Anaesthesiologist) nearing the end of my training which is 7 years here and I want to do an year of Pain medicine in the US.
I believe there might be some options with non ACGME positions available and as am not planning to settle in the US I am more than happy to accept such a position provided I learn all interventional and non interventional techniques.

Could someone please guide me about any such place available?or options i cud explore?

thanks a lot

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[Supinator]

To my knowledge there is no database of non-ACGME fellowships. Most are run by private practice groups. The only way I know how to search for them is by doing a "google" search of private practices and then go to their websites and look for a "fellowship" or "education" tab. Then call each individually. Some of them advertise as having a fellowship, when in reality they shut it down but didn't have it taken off their website. Others may not advertise it an it may have to be word of mouth. Most do not have fellowship positions, obviously. But quite a few do. There are quite a few in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Good Luck!

 

[Snowflake007]

Thanks a lot for your advice Supinator. Much appreciate your help

Cheers!

 

[nvrsumr]

Youre gonna have problems getting licensed so would be more of an observership rather than hands on training. Some big name institutions may be able to get your licensed for a year in their state as a visiting doc and may want the extra hands to help out. Id just contact the 80 or so ACGME accredited gas pain programs and ask

 

[Snowflake007]

Thanks nvrsumr.
Any Idea where I can get info on these "big name institutions?" I guess such places will choose their own local grads/residents isnt it? Also any idea on how I can lay my hands on the list of 80 or so acgme pain programs?
Thanks

 

[painj]

I have them listed on this page of my site: I think I have them all on there.
http://www.painrecruiters.com/accreditedfellowshipprograms.html

 

[Snowflake007]

Thanks Painj. This is extremely helpful.

Any similar list for non ACGME programs?

Regards

 

[Snowflake007]

Hello All,

Emailed all 80 programs and almost all replied with a negative answer saying ACGME pain fellowships open to only US residents/citizens/green card holders.

Any idea of the non aCGME list pain programs if possible?

thanks

 

[Snowflake007]

Any ideas would be really appreciated

 

[Snowflake007]

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[bedrock]

Not many ideas left if you have already contacted each of the ACGME programs and they all turned you down.

Anyh fellowship would be of very limited value if you can't personally examine the patients and perform the procedures under guidance of the attending physician.

Any of the private fellowship would be out, because legally they can't allow you to touch the patients.

The only option is in academics, because rarely, in the bigger academic hospitals, they may license you for a year in their state, which allows you to touch and treat patients.
If you're already contacted all of those hospitals (with ACGME pain programs), they you are likely out of luck.

One final last ditch effort would be to contact the director of the spine fellowship/interventional spine fellowship at a university medical center. (A few hospitals have a non-ACGME, but very academic spine fellowship) This focuses on spine issues and generally has a strong interventional focus.

Could try to contact the spine fellowships at University of Pennsylvania, Medical College of Virginia, and UCLA. (I don't have contact info for them, just google)

 

[hyperalgesia]

Any ideas would be really appreciated

You could check out Eliot Krames fellowship in San Francisco. But I don't know if it still exists as a fellowship... http://pacpain.com/web/ I think it used to be a 2 yr fellowship.

 

[Snowflake007]

Thanks Bedrock and Hyperalgesia. Much appreciate your responses. Cheers.

 

[Vie221]

It is definitely not true that you need to be a permanent resident or citizen to do a fellowship in the US. Also, you may do an ACGME fellowship without completing residency in the US. However, to practice, you need to complete a residency. I personally know people that did cardiac anesthesia fellowships with a visa prior to completing anesthesiology residency. I think that you need a J-1 visa to do the fellowship but I'm not really sure about that.

Your other option is to look for a position in Canada. Toronto has a good chronic and acute pain fellowship.

 

[Snowflake007]

Thanks Vie 221.
I am coming to a conclusion, if I havent already, that some fellowships require citizenship/Green card and others dont. Some require a US residency, others dont. Cardiac I believe doesnt have such complex requirements, Pain does.
I spoke to a friend in US who happens to be an associate prof in Paeds cardiac anaesthesia, He had a fellow from Egypt who had no USMLE but working as a fellow/gaining experience
As for Pain, my chances of entering US to do an year of fellowship seems painfully bleak.

 

[NJPAIN]

Why come to the US? In my day we had loads of BTA's (been to America) in Seattle. Many wanted to stay in US but medicine was a lot different then. Others came because it helped get a consultant position back home. Is that still the case?

 

[Snowflake007]

Its both I guess. some would want to relocate and some like me wish to consolidate their CV and experience. I guess it all depends on who you know , right place, right time.