Member Awards
Each year, AAPM chooses to recognize individuals who have provided exceptional service to the Academy or to the field of pain medicine.
Honorees are selected by the AAPM Awards Committee and presented during the AAPM Annual Meeting. Voting members may nominate individuals for the Awards Committee for consideration during the annual call for nominations.
Philipp M. Lippe, MD Award
The Philipp M. Lippe, MD Award is given to a physician for outstanding contributions to the social and political aspect of Pain Medicine.
Social and political accomplishments could be those that benefit the science, the practice or the recognition of the specialty.
Past Recipients
- (2025) Washington State Physician Spinal Cord Stimulator Work Group
- (2023) Joanna Katzman, MD, MSPH
- (2022) Steven P. Stanos, DO
- (2020) Vanila M. Singh, MD
- (2019) Donna Bloodworth, MD
- (2017) R. Norman Harden, MD
- (2016) Daniel J. Clauw, MD
- (2015) Clifford Wolff, MD, PhD
- (2014) Steven P. Cohen, MD
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(2013) Allan Basbaum, PhD;
Chester ‘Trip’ Buckenmaier III, MD COL (ret) MC USA
- (2012) Howard L. Fields, MD, PhD
- (2011) Daniel B. Carr, MD
- (2010) David E. Joranson, MSSW
- (2009) Nikolai Bogduk, MD PhD DSc
- (2008) Michael J. Cousins, MD DSc FANZCA FRCA FAChPM(RACP) FFPMANZCA
- (2007) Richard B. North, MD | (2006) Gerald F. Gebhart, PhD
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(2005) Edward C. Covington, MD
(2004) James C. Eisenach, MD
- (2003) Donald D. Price, PhD
- (2002) Russell Portenoy, MD
- (2001) Gary J. Bennett, PhD
- (2000) Rollin M. Gallagher, MD MPH
- (1999) Steven Feinberg, MD
- (1998) Tony Yaksh, PhD
- (1997) Peter Wilson, MBBS PhD
- (1996) Wilbert Fordyce, PhD
- (1995) Benjamin L. Crue, Jr., MD FACS
Founders Award
The Founders Award is given to an individual for outstanding contributions to the science or practice of Pain Medicine.
This award is given for continued contributions for the basic or clinical science of Pain Medicine or for demonstration of clinical excellence or innovation in the practice of Pain Medicine.
Past Recipients
- (2025) Zachary McCormick, MD
- (2024) Srinivasa Raja, MD
- (2023) Ajay Wasan, MD
- (2022) Sean Mackey, MD, PhD
- (2020) Ru-Rong Ji, PhD, PI
- (2018) Robert H. Dworkin, PhD
- (2017) R. Norman Harden, MD
- (2016) Daniel J. Clauw, MD
- (2015) Clifford Wolff, MD, PhD
- (2014) Steven P. Cohen, MD
- (2013) Allan Basbaum, PhD
- (2012) Howard L. Fields, MD, PhD
- (2011) Daniel B. Carr, MD
- (2010) David E. Joranson, MSSW
- (2009) Nikolai Bogduk, MD, PhD, DSc
- (2008) Michael J. Cousins, MD, DSc, FANZCA FRCA FAChPM (RACP) FFPMANZCA
- (2007) Richard B. North, MD
- (2006) Gerald F. Gebhart, PhD
- (2005) Edward C. Covington, MD
- (2004) James C. Eisenach, MD
- (2003) Donald D. Price, PhD
- (2002) Russell Portenoy, MD
- (2001) Gary J. Bennett, PhD
- (2000) Rollin M. Gallagher, MD, MPH
- (1999) Steven Feinberg, MD
- (1998) Tony Yaksh, PhD
- (1997) Peter Wilson, MBBS, PhD
- (1996) Wilbert Fordyce, PhD
- (1995) Benjamin L. Crue, Jr., MD, FACS
Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award is given to an individual for commitment and contributions to the American Academy of Pain Medicine.
This award is given to an individual for specific outstanding contributions.
Past Recipients
- (2025) Trent Emerick, MD, MBA
- (2024) Eduardo Fraifeld, MD
- (2023) Farshad Ahadian, MD; Michael Hooten, MD
- (2022) Beth Darnall, PhD; Ajay Wasan, MD
- (2020) Randall Brewer, MD; Michael Osborne, MD
- (2018) James C. Watson, MD; Jeffrey M. Tiede, MD
- (2017) Sean Mackey, MD, PhD
- (2016) Yu “Woody” Lin, MD, PhD
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(2015) Perry G. Fine, MD
- (2014) Charles E. Argoff, MD; Marsha Stanton, PhD RN
- (2013) Philip A. Saigh, Jr.
- (2012) B. Todd Sitzman, MD MPH
- (2011) Timothy R. Deer, MD
- (2010) Scott M. Fishman, MD
- (2009) Colleen M. Healy
- (2008) David A. Fishbain, MD DFAPA
- (2007) Eduardo M. Fraifeld, MD
- (2006) Edward C. Covington, MD
- (2005) Rollin M. Gallagher, MD MPH
- (2004) Albert L. Ray, MD
- (2003) Samuel J. Hassenbusch, MD PhD; Jeffrey W. Engle
- (2002) Elliot Krames, MD
- (2001) Joel R. Saper, MD FACP FAAN
- (1999) Peter Wilson, MBBS, PhD; Ruth Tiernan
- (1998) Paul Gebhard, JD; Kristie Haley
- (1996) Patricia Owen
Patient Advocacy Award
The Patient Advocacy Award recognizes the activity of an individual in advocating for appropriate evaluation and treatment of patients suffering from pain.
This award was created to honor those healthcare professionals whose deeds reflect their recognition of the importance and impact of the specialty of Pain Medicine.
Past Recipients
- (2025) Amy Goldstein
- (2023) Cindy Steinberg
- (2022) Christin Sanders Veasley
- (2018) Paul Christo, MD MBA
- (2017) Judith A. Paice, PhD, RN
- (2016) Penney Cowan; Carmen R. Green, MD
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(2015) Samir K. Ballas, MD, FACP
- (2014) Edward Bilsky, PhD
- (2013) Malene Davis, MBA MSN CHPN
- (2012) Robert J. Saner II, JD
- (2011) Will Rowe
- (2010) Myra Christopher
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(2009) Carmen R. Green, MD
- (2008) Robert D. Kerns, PhD
- (2007) Louis W. Sullivan, MD
- (2005) John (Jack) C. Lewin, MD
- (2004) Kenneth Moritsugu, MD MP
- (2002) Robert Biscup, MS DO
- (2001) Warner Wood, MD
Presidential Excellence Award For Education
The AAPM Presidential Excellence Award for Education honors an individual who has made major contributions to the education of others about Pain Medicine.
Past Recipients
- (2025) Bhavana Yalamuru, MBBS
- (2024) David Edwards, MD
- (2023) Shravani Durbhakula, MD, MPH, MBA; Michael Osborne, MD
- (2022) Daniel Tobin
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(2018) Larry C. Driver, MD
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(2017) Col. Kevin Galloway, U.S. Army (ret), BSN, MHA
- (2016) Gagan Mahajan, MD
- (2015) Michael Cousins, MD, DSc
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(2014) Beth B. Murinson, MD, PhD
- (2013) Debra K. Weiner, MD
- (2012) Lynn R. Webster, MD
Robert G. Addison, MD Award
The Robert G. Addison, MD Award was created to honor the memory of the late AAPM President, Bob Addison.
The award is given to an individual or organization in recognition of outstanding efforts to foster international cooperation and collaboration on behalf of the specialty of Pain Medicine.
Past Recipients
- (2025) Hance Clarke, MD, PhD
- (2024) Peter Staats, MD
- (2023) Jordi Moya Riera, MD, PhD
- (2022) César Fernández de las Peñas, PhD, PT
- (2020) Chester C. Buckenmaier III, MD; Winfried Meissner, MD; Sean Mackey, MD, PhD
- (2019) Lone Knudsen, MSc Psych PhD
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(2018) Xue-Jun Song, MD, PhD
- (2017) Faculty of Pain Medicine ANZCA
- (2016) Andrew Moore, DSc
- (2015) ChildKind International
- (2014) Tanja Erika Schlereth, MD PhD
Rollin ‘Mac’ Gallagher Pain Medicine Journal Award
The establishment of the Rollin ‘Mac’ Gallagher Pain Medicine Journal Award aims to pay tribute to the inaugural Editor-in-Chief of the Journal, Mac Gallagher, MD, MPH.
This accolade is bestowed upon an individual who surpasses expectations in their dedication to the Journal and demonstrates exceptional commitment to advancing top-tier scientific contributions in the field of pain and spine medicine.
Past Recipients
- (2025) Nathaniel Schuster, MD
- (2024) R. Norman Harden, MD
Pain Medicine Fellowship Excellence Award
The Pain Medicine Fellowship Excellence Award recognizes Pain Medicine Fellowship Programs that provide exceptional learning experiences to their fellows, preparing them to deliver the highest standard of care to patients with pain.
Past Recipients
- (2025) Ochsner Health System Chronic Pain Fellowship Program; UCLA/Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System Comprehensive Pain Fellowship Program
- (2024) Duke University Chronic Pain Program; Stanford University Chronic Pain Program
- (2023) University of Virginia Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellowship; University of California, Davis Pain Medicine Fellowship Program
- (2020) Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellowship Program of the University of Chicago Medical Center
- (2019) University of California, San Diego Pain Medicine Fellowship Program
- (2018) Johns Hopkins Pain Medicine Fellowship Program; NYU Langone Health Pain Medicine Fellowship Program
- (2017) Stanford Pain Medicine Fellowship Program
- (2016) Cleveland Clinic Pain Medicine Fellowship Program; Medical College of Wisconsin Comprehensive Pain Medicine Fellowship Program; University of California, Davis Pain Medicine Fellowship Program; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Pain Medicine Fellowship Program
- (2015) Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Pain Medicine Fellowship Program; Mayo Clinic Pain Medicine Fellowship Program
- (2014) Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami Pain Medicine Fellowship Program
- (2013) Brigham and Women’s Hospital Pain Medicine Fellowship Program
Award Criteria & Eligibility
The award is intended to recognize programs whose efforts coincide with AAPM’s mission.
Pain medicine fellowship programs within the United States, accredited by ACGME, that meet the following award criteria are encouraged to apply:
- Exemplify educational excellence, including, but not limited to:
- High-quality, comprehensive and interdisciplinary training in both acute and chronic pain, including its evaluation, treatment and management.
- Development of research opportunities that target fellows’ goals and needs.
- Receiving feedback on fellows’ performance.
- Demonstrate a commitment to providing evidence-based, safe, and patient-centered care.
- Facilitate the most rewarding fellowship experience to trainees, including (but not limited to) work-life balance and opportunities to pursue interests and accomplish their professional goals.
Past recipients are eligible to reapply five years after receiving the award.