In March 2019, I started a new chapter in my career as a Clinical Professor and Director of Behavioral Health in the Division of Pain Medicine at the University of California at Davis School of Medicine. This is a wonderful opportunity to work alongside a nationally recognized group of faulty and staff to take the Pain Center's Behavioral Health Services to the next level. My predecessors did an excellent job of laying a strong foundation on which to build upon.
Over the last few years, we have developed concurrent cognitive-behavioral therapy-based groups to teach patients evidence-based non-pharmacologic approaches to pain management, created a streamlined interdisciplinary screening and team conference process for individuals being considered for advanced interventional therapies, and produced a clinical intervention to help our network primary care physicians successfully optimize opioid medication regimens for the individuals under their care. I am actively involved in the training of pain medicine fellows, residents, and medical students through a combination of didactic and live observational experiences. To improve comprehensive pain education for physicians at the pre-licensure level, I created and teach an elective class on non-pharmacologic approaches to pain management to medical students as they transition to residency.
Beyond my clinical work, I continue to take an active interest in promoting clinician wellness and have developed and lead a wellness program for our Pain Medicine Fellows. I am actively involved on multiple School of Medicine, Department, and Division committees related to wellness, education, and quality.
Over the last few years, we have developed concurrent cognitive-behavioral therapy-based groups to teach patients evidence-based non-pharmacologic approaches to pain management, created a streamlined interdisciplinary screening and team conference process for individuals being considered for advanced interventional therapies, and produced a clinical intervention to help our network primary care physicians successfully optimize opioid medication regimens for the individuals under their care. I am actively involved in the training of pain medicine fellows, residents, and medical students through a combination of didactic and live observational experiences. To improve comprehensive pain education for physicians at the pre-licensure level, I created and teach an elective class on non-pharmacologic approaches to pain management to medical students as they transition to residency.
Beyond my clinical work, I continue to take an active interest in promoting clinician wellness and have developed and lead a wellness program for our Pain Medicine Fellows. I am actively involved on multiple School of Medicine, Department, and Division committees related to wellness, education, and quality.
With European Union colleagues after delivering a keynote presentation at a regional Health Psychology Conference in Siegen, Germany