Stanford Medicine Launches Pediatric Pain Fellowship Track to Address National Workforce Gap
Stanford, CA — Stanford Medicine is launching a new Pediatric Pain Fellowship Track designed to train physicians in pediatric pain care, a rapidly growing and underserved area of medicine.
The program will be offered within Stanford’s existing ACGME-accredited pain fellowship and will include dedicated training in both adult and pediatric pain management. The goal is to expand the number of physicians equipped to care for children experiencing acute and chronic pain.
“A unique opportunity to train with leading faculty in both adult and pediatric pain.”
“This is a unique opportunity to train at one of the top pain programs in the United States with leading faculty in both adult and pediatric pain,” Dr. Amber Borucki says. “There are very few ACGME-accredited pediatric pain programs nationally, and even fewer globally. Our program is also connected to a leading center for pediatric pain research and serves as a major referral center for specialized pediatric pain care, particularly our multidisciplinary Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Program (PReP).”
Pediatric pain medicine remains a highly specialized field with limited formal training pathways. There are currently less than ten pediatric pain fellowship programs nationally. At the same time, the number of physicians trained in pediatric pain remains low, contributing to long wait times and limited access to care.
“There is a huge unmet need for pediatric pain care in the United States,” says Dr. Jennifer Rabbitts. “About one in five children and adolescents experience chronic pain, such as recurrent headaches, stomach aches, or musculoskeletal pain. Yet there are only about 50 pediatric pain clinics across 30 states, with roughly 40 full-time pediatric pain physicians providing care.”
According to available data, there are approximately 34 physician full-time equivalents dedicated to pediatric pain care across the United States, with most clinics staffed by just one to three physicians and patient wait times often averaging two to three months.
The Pediatric Pain Fellowship Track is designed as a one-year program that integrates approximately nine months of adult pain training with 12 weeks of focused pediatric experience. This includes rotations in pediatric pain clinics, PReP,, pediatric palliative care, and a longitudinal continuity clinic.
The program is intended for physicians who have demonstrated a strong commitment to pediatric care, including those trained in pediatric anesthesiology or combined pediatrics/anesthesiology programs. Additional candidates from related pediatric specialties, such as pediatric emergency medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and neurology, may also be considered.
“Our hope in integrating pediatric pain fellows into our adult program is that they develop an understanding of the continuum of pain care,” Dr. Meredith Barad says. “Participating in an adult fellowship allows them to understand and treat pain throughout the body using established best practices. They can then apply that knowledge to pediatric populations and hopefully become national leaders in pediatric pain management.”
Applications are expected to open in December 2026, with the first fellow anticipated to begin training in August 2027.
