The pain medicine fellowship at Loma Linda University Medical Center is a one year program. It is designed to educate the physician with a solid scientific knowledge base of pain medicine, rational medication selections, and skills in procedural therapy employing peripheral nerve blocks, central nerve blocks, neurolytic nerve blocks, and implantable therapies. We operate a multidisciplinary clinic staffed with acupuncturists, psychologists, and physical therapists under the direction of our highly specialized faculty physicians. All of our pain medicine faculty are fellowship trained and consists of anesthesiologists, physiatrists, and oro-facial pain specialists. The fellowship year is considered a PGY-5 position. We are currently accepting five fellows per year. Individuals who have completed a residency in anesthesiology, physical medicine & rehabilitation, neurology, psychiatry, radiology, emergency medicine, and family medicine are encouraged to apply. ( See a listing of residency programs offered at LLUMC.)

Cancer Pain

The Medical Center has a well staffed Cancer Center and we provide consultative service and management for cancer patients with a spectrum of painful conditions. Pain fellows find common opportunity to utilize neurolytic and implantable techniques.

Acute and Postoperative Pain

The acute pain service rounds on about six thousand inpatients per year. These patients are postoperative as well as hospitalized patients with chronic pain issues. Postoperative epidural pain management is provided to approximately one thousand patients per year. We also manage postoperative pain utilizing regional anesthesia by placing indwelling catheters at the brachial plexus and isolated peripheral nerve blocks.

Outside Rotations, OR Experience

All pain fellows also rotate at Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Medical Center in order to gain experience with pain medicine procedures at the VA pain center. Fellows will have the opportunity to attend the workshop on implantation pain therapy which is provided by the Dannon-Miller Foundation Research.

We have a highly qualified pain research staff which is currently conducting several clinical trials. Active participation of fellows in ongoing clinical research is mandatory. There are also opportunities to present research papers at the local and national level.

New Academic Year

The fellowship program is currently accepting applications through ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service). The application and all supporting documents must be submitted to ERAS.

Applicants must have completed an ACGME approved four-year residency program. The applicant must have a California medical license, DEA certificate, BLS, and ACLS prior to the first day of the program. International medical graduates must have ECFMG certification and a valid visa. The following items are necessary for completion of the application:

  • A complete curriculum vitae
  • Personal Statement
  • Reference letter from Program Director
  • Two letters of reference
  • Medical School transcript(s)
  • MSPE (Medical School Performance Eval)
  • USMLE Scores / COMLEX Scores

After review of the completed application, curriculum vitae, and letters of recommendation, a personal interview will be offered to those we view as the strongest candidates.

For further information, please contact Laura Palacios, Pain Fellowship Coordinator, by phone at 909-558-6204 or by email at lpalacios@llu.edu.

Pain Medicine Fellowship Program
Loma Linda University Health
11406 Loma Linda Drive, Room 516
Loma Linda, CA 92354