Dear AAPM members and colleagues,

The countdown is on! PainConnect 2026 promises to be an extraordinary gathering of minds, momentum, and mission — a meeting you truly do not want to miss.

Not only will we convene in the stunning city of Salt Lake City, Utah, surrounded by some of my favorite ski mountains, but we’ll also be joined by a phenomenal lineup of thought leaders and educators who are shaping the future of pain medicine.

This meeting holds a special place in my heart — it has always been one of my favorite opportunities to reconnect, learn, and be inspired by the colleagues who drive our field forward. I hope you will join me March 5–8, 2026, for what promises to be a landmark event for our community and for the science and practice of pain medicine.

What Awaits at PainConnect 2026

Our scientific program features a dynamic blend of innovation, interdisciplinary dialogue, and practical insights you can bring back to your clinic, lab, or classroom. A few highlights include:

• Keynote Panel: The Future of Interventional Pain Medicine — A critical look at where our field stands and where it must go, featuring U.S. multi-society pain leaders.
• Pain, Power, and Pressure — Perspectives from women leaders in pain medicine.
• AAPM–FDA Collaboration — Updates on low back pain guidelines.
• Hope and Pain — Exploring the human experience at the intersection of science and empathy.
• BMJ Spine Network Analysis Panel — Discussion with authors and interventional experts addressing methodology and implications for practice.
• Untangling Pelvic Pain — Understanding complex mechanisms and innovative management approaches.
• How Software Is Guiding NaV Targets — The evolving interface between data and discovery.
• Surgical vs. Minimally Invasive Approaches to Pain — Comparative insights on outcomes and patient-centered care.
• Neural Networks and the Pain Experience — Bridging neuroscience and computational modeling.
• Neuromodulation: Waveforms and Applications — Reviewing mechanisms and new opportunities.
• Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning — Technology transforming diagnosis and treatment.
• Pain Prevention and Lifestyle Medicine — Integrating holistic approaches into practice.
• Dysautonomia and Pain — Exploring an emerging field of relevance.
• Transitional Pain Services — Building continuity from acute to chronic pain care.
• Acute Pain in Special Populations — Tailoring care to individual needs.
• Understanding the Multifidus Muscle — Revisiting anatomy, function, and pain implications.
• Winning Strategies for Headache Management — Advances in evidence-based protocols.
• Music and Medicine — The therapeutic potential of sound and creativity.
• Wearables and Pain Biomarkers — What emerging technology can teach us.
• Regenerative Medicine and Pain — Expanding our toolbox for tissue and nerve repair.
• The Brain, the Gut, and Pain — A multidisciplinary view of complex systems.
• Analgesics of the Future — The next frontier of pharmacologic innovation.

This year’s program embodies what makes AAPM unique — rigorous science, open dialogue, and a shared commitment to improving the lives of patients living with pain.

My deepest gratitude to our meeting planning committee and leadership team for their creativity, expertise, and vision:

• Chair: Dr. David Copenhaver
• Co-Chairs: Dr. Traci Speed and Dr. Tim Furnish

Your hard work and collaboration have created a program that reflects both the depth and the diversity of modern pain medicine.

As I write this from the Dolomites — another mountain range that holds a special place in my heart — I’m reminded of the shared inspiration that comes from both challenge and beauty. Whether skiing, learning, or collaborating, we climb together.

I look forward to seeing you in Salt Lake City in March 2026 for what promises to be another unforgettable meeting of minds and momentum.

With gratitude,