Regional and Acute Pain Fellowship

The University of Rochester Regional and Acute Pain fellowship provides training experience in both the inpatient and ambulatory surgery center settings. Strong Memorial is a large University Hospital and Level I Trauma Center, which provides the opportunity to perform a wide range of advanced peripheral nerve blocks and catheters for surgical and trauma patients. These interventions are routinely performed for patients on the orthopedic trauma, vascular, cardiothoracic, liver transplant, urology and plastics services. The Regional and Acute Pain fellow will be required to spend time on the Acute Pain Service and Transitional Pain Service, both of which are directed by Regional and Acute Pain trained faculty under the Division of Acute Pain. If desired, there is also the opportunity to diversify the fellowship experience by spending time on other services, such as Addiction Medicine, Palliative Care, Pediatric Anesthesia, and Chronic Pain.

Sawgrass Ambulatory Surgical Center is a busy, efficient ambulatory surgical center near Strong Memorial Hospital, where we perform a high volume of peripheral nerve blocks. Here, our fellows learn how to do basic blocks safely and efficiently. Once that is mastered, fellows will learn the skills needed to supervise junior residents in a safe and timely manner.

Our faculty are leading many initiatives to improve patient care and fellows will be expected to be involved with at least one project, but there is opportunity to be involved with multiple projects if desired. Examples of these efforts include, but are not limited to:

-Implementation science and financial implications and clinical outcomes in cardiac surgery

-Pain protocols for urologic surgery patients (kidney stones, nephrectomies, prostatectomies)

-Geriatric pain education, techniques, and the use of nerve blocks in geriatric hip fracture and rib fracture patients

-Collaboration with cardiology on using stellate ganglion nerve blocks for refractory sustained VT

-Retrospective review analysis of brachial plexus blocks for shoulder surgery (duration of action, adjuvant medications, resident level of training)

-Clinical trials for ketamine use for post-op orthopedic surgery pain in patients with depression

The goal of the fellowship is for trainees to become experts in performing safe and efficient nerve blocks and to be competent in advanced block techniques and comprehensive acute pain management. Once this is accomplished, the fellow will learn how to effectively teach and supervise anesthesiology residents and other trainees.

 

About the Director

Dr. Rachel Stahl is the Program Director for the Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Fellowship at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She completed her anesthesiology residency at Columbia University Medical Center- NYPH and Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Fellowship at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She then joined our faculty here at URMC in 2017. Dr. Stahl is also the co-director of the Acute Pain Service. Her interests include collaborations with urology, cardiac surgery, and thoracic surgery services to provide opioid-sparing protocols for acute post-op pain, participating in QI projects for better pain management for surgical patients on suboxone therapy, and improving resident and fellow education and wellness at URMC.