The Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine (RAAPM) Fellowship in the Department of Anesthesia at Indiana University School of Medicine is an ACGME accredited, one-year post-residency program that provides comprehensive training in all aspects of acute pain medicine and regional anesthesia. Fellows rotate through IU Health University Hospital, Sydney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital, Riley Hospital for Children, and IU Health Meridian South Surgery Center. Our large array of training centers allows for a wide variety of clinical opportunities serving a broad range of patient populations. Graduates can expect to leave the program fully prepared in the conduct of regional anesthesia and acute pain management for all types of surgeries.
Operating Facilities
The majority of clinical rotations will be in between IU Health University Hospital and Eskenazi Hospital. At University Hospital, fellows will be an integral part of the busy acute pain service that services large cancer and abdominal organ transplant surgeries. Fellows will also have the opportunity to work with our chronic pain physicians to gain a better appreciation and understanding of the complexity of the chronic pain patient in an acute pain setting.
At Eskenazi Hospital, the busiest level I trauma hospital in the state, fellows will have an opportunity to participate in a very busy regional anesthesia service that includes a vast range of orthopedic and other operative cases as well as burn unit, emergency department and ICU consults. Fellows will also have the opportunity to train with our pediatric pain specialists at Riley Hospital for Children to gain an appreciation for both acute and chronic pain management in the pediatric population. Finally, fellows will be able to experience regional anesthesia at our IU ambulatory surgery center, to learn in a fast-paced, outpatient clinical setting.
Rotation Schedule (13 four-week blocks)
- Acute Pain Medicine: four blocks (University Hospital)
- Regional Anesthesia: four blocks (Eskenazi Hospital)
- Chronic Pain Management: one block (IUH Chronic Pain Practice)
- Research: one block (All practice sites)
- Outpatient Month: two blocks (Meridian South Surgery Center)
- Pediatric RAAPM: one block (Riley Hospital)
Didactic Schedule and Scholarly Activity
A didactic teaching program dedicated to fellowship training is an integral part of the fellowship program, and fellows play an active role. Bi-weekly lectures presented by members of the RAAPM faculty cover all areas of acute pain—from basics of nerve anatomy and physiology to more advanced regional and neuraxial techniques, designed to prepare fellows for independent practice. Fellows will also attend and lead the Acute Pain Management Journal Club, a Morbidity and Mortality Grand Rounds, and will attend and present at the annual ASRA meeting in the spring. The department of anesthesia, in conjunction with the anatomy department, will host a monthly anesthesia cadaver review session. A clinical anatomist will review major nerves and structures and APS faculty will integrate the anatomy with regional anesthesia techniques. The fellow will eventually lead these sessions.
Work Schedule and Benefits
Fellows have clinical responsibilities on weekdays with no expectation of weekend calls. Pager call will be handled for two weeks of each block at University Hospital until 8 pm (M-F). Salary and benefits, including health insurance, vacation and meeting days, are commensurate with the PGY-5 resident level at IU School of Medicine with an additional stipend for the mandatory research component. Find details about employment terms and benefits through the Office of Graduate Medical Education.
Application Information
Fellowship applications are accepted only through the common application. Once completed, please email the application, your CV and two to three letters of recommendation to our program coordinator, Serena Mahoney, at semmitch@iu.edu. Applications are accepted October through May, and interviews occur March through June.
