Michael Burchell Reflects on Intern Rotation - Pain Clinc

Michael Burchell, MD, Class of 2019

Pain clinic is a relatively new rotation to the intern year and, for good reason, has rapidly become a fan favorite amongst many of my anesthesia colleagues. Our pain clinic provides residents with a significant amount of clinical and procedural learning as well as a great work-life balance.

The Work: pain clinic is a refreshing change of pace from grind of our inpatient services. Clinic starts at 8 am each day, and ends at about 5 pm. Interns work alongside 1-2 fellows. The fellows are great to work with and are always willing to teach and assist with procedures. The typical day is spent doing patient office visits as well as a variety of procedures interspersed throughout the day, including procedures under fluoroscopy.

The Learning: beyond its great schedule, pain clinic is a good month to gain comfort with pain medication strategies, interventions, and coping mechanisms.  Attending physicians, Dr. Ajam and Dr. Kapural are eager and enthusiastic teachers. Additionally, Dr. Kapural has many research projects/abstracts for anyone with an interest in pain management as a career path. I got to perform and observe many procedures under supervision. During my month I did multiple lumbar medial branch nerve blocks, SI joint injections, epidural spinal injections, and an assortment of trigger point injections.  

The Lifestyle: with its relatively relaxed schedule, clinic month is a good time to get back into hobbies, travel, and spend time with family and friends.