The MD Anderson Pain Medicine Fellowship offers unique training within a world-leading comprehensive cancer center, providing unparalleled exposure to complex oncologic and cancer survivorship pain syndromes. The program delivers robust procedural training across the full spectrum of interventional pain therapies, including neuromodulation, intrathecal drug delivery, vertebral augmentation, and tumor-related pain interventions. Fellows benefit from a highly multidisciplinary environment with close collaboration among oncology, neurosurgery, radiation oncology, rehabilitation, psychology, and palliative care teams. The fellowship emphasizes academic development through strong mentorship, research infrastructure, and opportunities for national presentations and publications. Additionally, the program prioritizes trainee wellness, leadership development, and career preparation, producing well-rounded pain specialists equipped for both academic and clinical excellence.

Fellows in the MD Anderson Pain Medicine Fellowship receive extensive hands-on experience managing complex cancer-related and chronic pain through both inpatient and outpatient clinical rotations. They gain high procedural volume and direct technical training in fluoroscopic and ultrasound-guided interventions, including epidural injections, sympathetic blocks, vertebral augmentation, tumor ablation, peripheral nerve blocks, and advanced neuromodulation procedures such as spinal cord stimulation, DRG stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, basivertebral nerve ablation, MILD, and intrathecal pump implantation and management. Fellows actively participate in multidisciplinary cancer pain care, working closely with oncology, neurosurgery, radiation oncology, rehabilitation, and supportive care teams. They are involved in peri-procedural patient evaluation, patient selection, device programming, troubleshooting, and longitudinal pain management. Additionally, fellows receive experience in managing medically complex and high-risk oncology patients, including those with coagulopathy, metastatic disease, and treatment-related complications. The program also provides opportunities for fellows to develop teaching, research, and leadership skills through direct mentorship and scholarly activities.

Research mentorship remains an important part of our fellowship. Each fellow completes a scholarly project before graduation, supported by faculty who provide guidance throughout the process. This year, our fellows presented their work at several regional and national meetings, including the Texas Pain Society, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia, the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, the North American Neuromodulation Society, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, and the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience with fellows delivering presentations at five of these conferences.

For those interested in a more research-focused path, the program offers a two-year research track that includes one year of basic science or clinical research followed by one year of clinical fellowship. This option provides additional time and mentorship for fellows who want to build stronger research skills.

Graduates of the MD Anderson Pain Medicine Fellowship pursue diverse and highly competitive career paths. Many enter academic medicine at major cancer centers, university hospitals, or multidisciplinary spine and pain programs where they continue clinical care, education, and research. Others join high-level private practice groups with strong interventional and neuromodulation focus. Several alumni assume leadership roles, including program development, fellowship teaching, and society involvement. Graduates are well prepared for careers managing complex oncologic pain, advanced interventional procedures, and multidisciplinary pain care models.

Our faculty are deeply committed to supporting our fellows’ development in multiple ways. This commitment is reflected in how we protect their time for education, ensuring they are excused from clinical duties to attend scheduled lectures, participate in high-value operating room cases, or travel to educational conferences. This year, our faculty also implemented a new monthly wellness workshop and didactic series emphasizing the mind-body connection in pain management while supporting clinician wellness and burnout prevention.

In 2025, our program strengthened its digital communication presence through several new initiatives designed to support applicants, current fellows, and alumni.

1. Enhanced applicant experience: Candidates in the final application phase now receive a comprehensive Microsoft Sway overview ( https://sway.cloud.microsoft/n9M3I4VHmDokjWqh?ref=Link ) featuring alumni testimonials, a message from the program director, and highlights about living in Houston. This digital welcome provides a clear, engaging look at our culture, training experience, and community.
2. Internal electronic library: Our team developed a centralized, easy-to-navigate electronic library within our division’s SharePoint site. This one-stop resource includes digital textbooks, journal club articles, workflows, patient education handouts, and educational procedure videos, equipping our fellows with everything they need to succeed.
3. Quarterly alumni newsletter: Launched in the fall, our new newsletter strengthens long-term connections. Each issue features upcoming events, collaboration opportunities, alumni spotlights, photos, and updates from our pain medicine faculty.