Pain Clinic

The last month on chronic pain clinic taught me many important lessons. Chronic pain is extremely prevalent and can have a crippling effect on a patient's well-being. There is an epidemic of opioid use, billions of dollars lost due to disability, and a wealth of questions we have yet to answer. The pain medicine physician's primary goal is not to eliminate pain but to maximize functionality, to manage their pain in medical, psychological, and physical ways so that the person can return to a job, taking care of a family, enjoying life. Many diagnoses are chronic illnesses, pain syndromes that someone will live with for the rest of her life, and managing that is not easy when patients want to be completely "cured." Being a well-rounded pain doctor requires an intimate knowledge of anatomy, pharmacology, and psychology.

Although I really enjoyed my month on pain, I also don't think it's the perfect subspecialty for me. I liked clinic hours but didn't particularly like clinic. I enjoyed being a proceduralist but didn't see myself doing those procedures for the rest of my career. Some patient interactions were very satisfying, but many didn't resound with me. I gained a lot of knowledge, but saw how that knowledge would aid me in the operating room and intensive care unit. This experience will make me a better anesthesiologist and a better intensivist.