The UCLA Pain Medicine Fellowship Program consists of a comprehensive outpatient pain practice, along with an inpatient consult service. We offer six PGY-5 positions each year. The program is set up according to ACGME guidelines, with rotational experience in neurology and psychiatry, and core fellowship training in clinic and interventional-based chronic pain. The acute pain requirement is met by providing in-patient pain consultation services at Santa Monica-UCLA Orthopaedic Hospital and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Our goal is to provide a well rounded experience which will prepare our fellows for the pain medicine board exam, and more importantly, for future practice.
The UCLA Comprehensive Pain Center offers clinical services to our patients Monday through Friday, divided among attending physicians. Patients with a wide variety of conditions -- including low back and neck pain, myofascial pain, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, neuropathic pain, cancer pain, and post-herpetic neuralgia -- are evaluated and treated. Our multidisciplinary approach utilizes the many resources at our disposal, including pain psychology, physical and occupational therapy, neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, and addiction medicine. The interventional treatments range from basic diagnostic nerve blocks such as epidurals, facet medial branch nerve blocks and sacroiliac joint injections, to sympathetic blocks, chemical neurolysis, radiofrequency ablation and implantable neurostimulator and infusion pump devices. A weekly lecture series includes didactic lectures, journal clubs and quality assurance topics.
We are accepting applications through ERAS beginning November 2020. Please note that offers for fellowship positions are made throughout the interview period, and therefore we recommend completing applications as soon as possible. View more information about the Pain Fellowship application process.
If you have any additional questions, please contact the Fellowship Coordinator, Kathy Hercules, at (310) 319-2241 or email khercules@mednet.ucla.edu.
See also: Application Process
Dr. Aeschliman and her husband Alex
Hometown: Powhatan, VA
Undergraduate: James Madison University, BS Biology
Medical School: West Virginia University School of Medicine
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Virginia School of Medicine
Why I chose UCLA: Excellent mentorship, supportive community, beautiful location.
Dr. Brittany Aeschlimann dedicates her free time to activities such as yoga, meditation, running, and working out. She also enjoys cooking, exploring new restaurants, wine tasting, and enjoying the beautiful California beaches. She moved to Los Angeles with her husband, a radiologist and California native who is happy to return. Dr. Aeschlimann loves to travel and has developed an increasing interest in global health, especially after spending a month in Kigali, Rwanda in the Spring of 2019 teaching and mentoring anesthesiology residents.
Dr. Daughrty and family
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Undergraduate: Point Loma Nazarene University, BA Exercise Science
Graduate: Touro University California, MPH and MS Physician Assistant Studies
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Anesthesiology, Loma Linda University
Why I chose UCLA: I chose UCLA for its outstanding reputation and faculty. UCLA provides the ability to train under national leaders in interventional pain medicine. The exposure to a wide range of pathology as well as procedures makes UCLA one of the top training programs in the country.
Dr. Jason Daughety’s professional interests include neuromodulation and ultrasound guided procedures. Outside of medicine, his hobbies include activities such as golf, running, surfing, and ice hockey. He is married with four boys (the newest addition arrived in September!) and enjoys spending his free time with his family.
Dr. Feenstra in Yosemite
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Undergraduate: Calvin University, BS Biochemistry
Medical School: University of Michigan Medical School
Residency: Anesthesiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Why I chose UCLA: When I visited on my interview day, I was impressed with both the top-notch training as well as the camaraderie among trainees and attendings.
Dr. Elizabeth Feenstra enjoys being active and spends a lot of her free time hiking, biking, running, and working out. She also enjoys international travel, taking weekend road trips, wine-tasting, reading, and spending time with friends.
Dr. Li and family
Hometown: Houston, TX
Undergraduate: University of Texas at Austin, BS Neurobiology
Medical School: Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
Residency: Anesthesiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Why I chose UCLA: Strong program and reputation, awesome faculty, and I wanted to settle down in this location
Dr. Frederick Li’s interests include the Houston Rockets, helping his wife with filming/video-editing for their media company, hiking, playing piano, and spending time with his wife and 2-year-old-son. He served at times as hospital pianist during medical school at the Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center. His professional interests include neuromodulation and East-West integrative medicine for pain.
Dr. Motejunas
Hometown: Milton, MA
Undergraduate: Vanderbilt University, BA Economics
Medical School: Tulane University School of Medicine
Residency: Anesthesiology, LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans
Why I chose UCLA: UCLA's Interventional pain department provides the unique opportunity to learn the most cutting-edge interventional pain procedures from many of the leaders in the field!
Dr. Mark Motejunas’ academic interests are focused on chronic pain with an emphasis on neuromodulation and regenerative medicine. It is this interest that brought him to UCLA for an Interventional Pain Fellowship. He is an avid amateur photographer and guitarist. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and will often compete in amateur events. When his schedule allows, Dr. Motejunas also dedicates his time to carpentry projects– he’s built coffee tables, headboards, restored old dressers, and even rebuilt two wooden decks!
Dr. Socik
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Undergraduate: Yale University, BA Psychology, concentration in Neuroscience
Medical School: Rush Medical College
Residency: Anesthesiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Why I chose UCLA: The amazing people that make up the UCLA family.
Dr. Ava Socik is an avid traveler and has been to over 50 countries on 6 continents. She is always on the lookout for new scenic trails to hike; she has hiked at over 40 US National Parks and numerous international parks. Dr. Socik has a particular interest in photography, having won multiple accolades and even organized photography exhibitions. Her other hobbies outside of medicine include running, Latin dance (salsa, bachata, merengue, cumbia), cooking, baking, and playing piano.
