Pain Fellowship Excellence Award

The AAPM Pain Medicine Fellowship Excellence Award recognizes fellowship programs that demonstrate excellence in pain medicine education and training and align with AAPM's mission.

2027 Applications Now Open

AAPM is now accepting applications for the 2027 Pain Fellowship Excellence Award, recognizing ACGME-accredited pain medicine fellowship programs that demonstrate excellence in education, clinical training, and the fellowship experience.

Eligible fellowship programs are encouraged to review the award criteria and submit an application for consideration. Selected programs will be recognized in conjunction with PainConnect 2027, March 18–21, 2027.

Apply for the 2027 Award

AAPM Pain Fellowship Excellence Award event photo

Award Criteria & Eligibility

ACGME-accredited pain medicine fellowship programs located in the United States are encouraged to apply. Eligible programs should demonstrate:

Educational Excellence: High-quality, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary training in acute and chronic pain, including evaluation, treatment, and management; meaningful research opportunities; and ongoing feedback on fellows' performance.
Evidence-Based, Patient-Centered Care: A commitment to safe, effective, evidence-based clinical care throughout fellowship training.
Fellowship Experience: A supportive learning environment that balances clinical responsibilities, educational opportunities, work-life balance, and fellows' individual interests and goals.

Previous Award Recipients: Programs may reapply five years after receiving the award.

Evaluation Criteria & Scoring

Applications are evaluated by the AAPM Pain Fellowship Excellence Award Committee using a standardized scoring rubric. Each program is evaluated across six categories and eight individual scoring criteria.

Reviewers score each criterion on a scale of 1 to 5, for a maximum of 40 points per reviewer. Applicants are encouraged to provide specific examples that demonstrate their program's strengths and impact on fellowship training.

1. Academic Excellence, Education & Research 15 points

Reviewers consider whether the program:

Provides research opportunities aligned with fellows' goals and needs.
Supports scholarly activities and achievements, including publications, presentations, educational materials, and research contributions.
Offers a comprehensive educational curriculum that supports fellows' training and development.

2. Evidence-Based Clinical Care & Patient Safety 5 points

Incorporates evidence-based, safe, patient-centered care into the fellowship's education and clinical training.

3. Interdisciplinary Education & Teamwork 5 points

Provides meaningful opportunities for fellows to learn and collaborate across pain-related specialties and disciplines.

4. Practice Management Education 5 points

Provides education and practical experience in practice management to prepare fellows for professional practice.

5. Clinical Workload & Work-Life Balance 5 points

Balances clinical and educational responsibilities while supporting fellows' well-being and work-life balance.

6. Additional Areas of Excellence 5 points

Demonstrates additional initiatives, opportunities, or distinctive achievements that enhance the fellowship experience beyond traditional measures of success.

Total Possible Score: 40 Points per Reviewer

Eight criteria are scored individually on a five-point scale. Final award selections are made through the committee's review and selection process.

Anonymous Review Process

To support an objective review process, AAPM removes identifying program information before distributing applications to committee reviewers whenever possible. Applicants should avoid including institution names, faculty names, or other identifying information in their narrative responses.

Past Recipients

AAPM is proud to recognize the following fellowship programs for their contributions to excellence in pain medicine education and training.

2026
University of California San Diego Pain Medicine Fellowship Program; Wake Forest University Pain Medicine Fellowship Program

2025
Ochsner Health System Pain Fellowship Program; UCLA/Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System Comprehensive Pain Fellowship Program

2024
Duke University Anesthesiology Pain Medicine Fellowship Program; Stanford Pain Medicine Fellowship Program

2023
University of Virginia Pain Medicine Fellowship Program; 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; Medical College of Wisconsin; University of California, Davis; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

2015
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Mayo Clinic

2014
Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami

2013
Brigham and Women's Hospital Pain Medicine Fellowship