Acute Surgical Pain Management Fellowship 

MTSA & AANA. Partnering to Make A Difference in Acute Pain Management

Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia (MTSA) and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) have partnered to offer a postgraduate Acute Surgical Pain Management Fellowship (ASPMF) through the graduate school located in Madison, Tennessee. The objective of this certificate program, a component of the AANA Pain Management Curriculum, is to advance the knowledge and skills of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) in acute surgical pain management and prepare them to help meet the growing need for this evidence-based approach in the United States.

This unique post-graduate fellowship utilizes evidence-based knowledge to provide a clinically oriented multidisciplinary training environment for the comprehensive treatment of acute surgical pain. Fellows will learn advanced techniques for managing patients’ acute post-surgical pain through hands-on ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (USGRA) training, online discussions, and coursework, as well as clinical opportunities with mentors experienced in acute surgical pain management.

Participants are eligible to receive 150.00 Class A CE credits upon completion of the program.

  • Two Application Cycles 
    • January 1 – June 30
    • July 1 – November 30
  • Two Start Dates
    • August 31
    • January 4

12-Month Acute Surgical Pain Management Fellowship Program

To be admitted applicants must be a CRNA holding an active, unencumbered license. Completion of both a basic and advanced-cadaveric USGRA workshop is required prior to enrollment in the program.

APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED NOW.  SPACE IS LIMITED!

For More Information

To begin the admission process visit MTSA's Acute Surgical Pain Management Fellowship site for an online application and more information. Call MTSA for information at 888-353-6872 Monday through Thursday, 8 am - 6 pm CST; email rebecca@mtsa.edu.

Program Overview

CRNAs = Part of the Solution to a Growing Need

The field of pain management is continually growing. As the baby boom generation ages, increasing numbers of patients will undergo surgery, and CRNAs will be responsible for managing these patients’ acute pain. The AANA/MTSA Acute Surgical Pain Management Fellowship will equip CRNAs with the necessary knowledge and skill-sets to meet this growing demand. From medical management approaches, such as multimodal therapies and opioid-sparing strategies, to advanced interventional techniques, including continuous catheter utilization, CRNAs will acquire the knowledge to treat these patients with confidence and skill.

The Program Process

The ASPMF consists of a classroom component offered via distance education (didactic education) and a clinical component (proctored hands-on clinical experience offered through one or more clinical sites). Fellows will learn innovative techniques including multimodal and interventional therapies to manage acute surgical pain while developing business management proficiency.

Topics of Study

  • Legal, ethical, and professional issues related to acute surgical pain management
  • Psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural dimensions of acute surgical pain
  • Non-allopathic considerations for acute surgical pain management
  • Physiological aspects of pain
  • Assessment and evaluation of the patient with acute surgical pain
  • Pharmacogenetics, dynamics, and kinetics related to acute surgical pain management
  • Technical interventions for the management of acute pain
  • Foundations of initiating an acute pain service
  • Business fundamentals in acute pain management

Continuing Education Credits

This program has been prior approved by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists for 150.00 Class A CE credits; Code Number 1037120; Expiration Date 1/6/2022. AANA designates this program as meeting the criteria for up to 40.00 CE Credits in pharmacology/therapeutics.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted, a prospective fellow must be a CRNA with an active, unencumbered license. Completion of both a basic and advanced-cadaveric ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia workshop is required within four months of entering the Fellowship. (Must be enrolled in an advanced and basic USGRA workshop at the time of application.) Watch the AANA website and Anesthesia E-ssential for announcements and registration details.

FAQs about Acute Surgical Pain Management Fellowship Program

How many years of experience are required to apply?

There is no minimum requirement for experience for fellows to be admitted into the Acute Surgical Pain Management Fellowship (ASPMF). Admitted fellows must be, at the time of application, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists actively practicing anesthesia within their home state.

How much is tuition?

The current cost to attend the fellowship for the entire one-year duration is $15,000. Three payments of $5,000 are required; each payment is due before the start of each of the three courses in the Fellowship. An additional clinical fee of $2,500 per week will be required to rotate at training sites established by ASPMF. To complete the fellowship, one week of clinical training at a ASPMF site will be required prior to being awarded a certificate of completion. Additional weeks will be available at ASPMF approved clinical sites to obtain the regional block numbers required to complete the fellowship.

What are the prerequisites to be admitted for the fellowship program?

The applicant must be an actively practicing CRNA and either have completed a Basic Cadaveric Ultrasound Guided Regional Anesthesia (USGRA) and an Advanced Cadaveric USGRA workshop or be enrolled in both workshops (scheduled to be completed within four six months of entering the program) before being considered for admission into the ASPMF.

Does one size fit all, or is the program individualized based on the applicant’s experience?

The didactic curriculum is structured to prepare the CRNA for advanced training in acute surgical pain management. The clinical component of the fellowship offers an opportunity for the fellow the option of receiving additional clinical training in areas of acute surgical pain management where a deficiency in knowledge or training might be present.

I have some experience in doing USGRA, will that be considered (will I get some credit) in my application process?

Consideration will be given to all applicants who sufficiently meet the admission criteria for entry into ASPMF. The applicant must consider the required time, expense, and effort that may be required to fulfill the clinical requirements of the ASPMF. CRNAs actively practicing USGRA before admission will better adapt to the fast-paced environment of the clinical sites established by the ASPMF. Clinical site selection and development by the ASPMF has primarily focused on clinical sites that perform a wide variety of acute pain services to a large volume of patients.

What is your class size?

The Council on Accreditation has approved 12 fellows to be admitted twice a year.

Do the fellows choose their clinical sites?

Clinical site selection by fellows is the ASPMF preference; however, final determination of dates and clinical training site selection will be at the discretion of director of the fellowship.

Are online classes available?

Twelve months of Didactic material is presented by 32 faculty members of the fellowship using the BrightSpace online learning management system.  Attendance at a cadaver workshop held by Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia will be required by each fellow to demonstrate mentoring and teaching skills for participates of the workshop. This course is held on a single weekend, multiple times each year. More information about dates and details of this workshop will be available upon application into the ASPMF.

What is the relationship to the AANA?

The ASPMF at Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia has partnered with the AANA for this fellowship program in acute pain management. Their collaboration and our combined efforts will make this a high-quality educational experience for CRNAs desiring advanced skills and knowledge in acute pain management.

Additional Resources