I hope you enjoyed a restorative holiday season with friends and family. I’m writing this message while moving between skinning up Mount Washington, recovering from a not-so-lovely virus, and welcoming the New Year in the Green Mountains of Vermont. As we turn the page to 2026, I’m wishing you energy, health, and a strong, meaningful start to the year ahead.

January 1 always feels like a moment of possibility, a fresh beginning filled with reflection and New Year’s resolutions. What’s yours? May I offer an AAPM challenge for 2026?

AAPM thrives because of extraordinary people like you. Imagine if each of us made a New Year’s resolution to invite six or seven (okay – my son is ten, and I couldn’t help myself!) new interdisciplinary colleagues to join AAPM this year, clinicians who practice medicine the way we do. The collective impact of that simple commitment could be profound.

From emergency medicine and primary care to psychology, pharmacy, neurology, PM&R, anesthesiology, physical therapy, surgery, and beyond, always centering our patients, pain care takes a team. That multidisciplinary spirit is what makes AAPM unique.

I am an AAPM member because of all of you. Because you practice pain medicine the way I care for my patients. Because it takes a team.

Recently, our Board met to reflect on what defines AAPM among the many outstanding national pain organizations, and why being a member truly matters. One statement resonated deeply with me, and I hope it resonates with you as well:

AAPM is the pain society with the mission and values that most closely align with the physician I strive to be. We are the credible professional community of pain clinicians prioritizing exceptional patient care and advocacy for patients, while also valuing innovation, career growth, and accountable leadership in pain medicine.

As we look ahead to 2026, our shared voice, scientific credibility, and commitment to patients will matter more than ever, especially as pain care, access, and advocacy continue to face real headwinds.

I want to share one patient story that underscores why this work is so important. This photo is with my patient “Robert,” whom I previously wrote about in response to proposed Medicare LCDs that would restrict access to nerve blocks and ablations. Robert is 92 years old and not a surgical candidate for knee replacement. He now reports a 50% improvement in knee pain following a genicular radiofrequency ablation and is once again able to travel independently, without a cane, for treatment of his throat cancer. We will continue to keep you informed as updates on the proposed LCDs emerge.

So, I invite you to join me in a 2026 New Year’s resolution: reach out to six or seven inspirational colleagues and invite them to become part of AAPM. Together, we will be even stronger as we advance and promote the full spectrum of multidisciplinary pain care, education, advocacy, and research, all in service of improving function and quality of life for people living with pain.

Have someone in mind I can reach out to on AAPM’s behalf? Please send me a note. I’d love to connect.

Happy New Year.