Overview

Overview

Pain Medicine Fellowship

The goal of our program is to train future leaders and consultants in pain medicine practice and research. Fellows are valued colleagues in our multidisciplinary Pain Management team. We emphasize team work and strive to provide the highest quality of patient care, education, and research. Our team is composed of a large number of expert pain physicians, fellows, residents, physician assistants, nurses, and other supporting staff. Fellows are extensively trained through rotations through the following disciplines and services:

  • Chronic Pain Management (core rotation).
  • Regional Pain Practice.
  • Inpatient Acute and Chronic Pain Medicine.
  • Neurology: Headaches and Facial Pain Center.
  • Cancer Pain and Palliative Medicine.
  • Psychiatry for Pain Specialist.
  • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
  • Anesthesiology for the Non-Anesthesiologist.
  • Neuroradiology (elective).

Fellowship Contact Information:

Sherif Costandi, MD

Sherif Costandi, MD
Director, Pain Medicine Fellowship
Medical Director Walker Ambulatory Surgical Center  
Pain Management Department

Mickeyla Patterson, Program Manager
Phone: 440.346.9291
Email: patterm2@ccf.org

Faculty

Faculty

Richard W. Rosenquist, MD
Richard W. Rosenquist, MD
Department Chair 		Nagy Mekhail, MD, PhD
Nagy Mekhail, MD, PhD
Director of Evidence Based Pain Medicine Research		 Shrif Costandi, MD
Shrif Costandi, MD
Fellowship Program Director
Samuel Samuel, MD
Samuel Samuel, MD
Associate Program Director		 Jianguo Cheng, MD, PhD
Jianguo Cheng, MD, PhD
Medical Director of Cleveland Clinic Consortium for Pain 		Jijun Xu, MD, PhD
Jijun Xu, MD, PhD
Clinical Competency Committee Chair, Ombudsman Office
Evan Parker, MD
Evan Parker, MD		 Kristen Powers, MD
Kristen Powers, MD		 Girgis Girgis, DO
George E. Girgis, DO
Sameh Yonan, MD
Sameh Yonan, MD		 Sameh Yonan, MD
Philippe Berenger, MD 		Sameh Yonan, MD
Paul Shin, MD
Sameh Yonan, MD
David Harris, MD
Palliative Medicine 		Sameh Yonan, MD
Lynn Jedlicka, MD
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 		Sameh Yonan, MD
Desimir Mijatovic, MD
Psychology
Sameh Yonan, MD
Aarushi Suneja, MD
Neurology 		Dinah White, MDD
Dinah White, MD
Regional Anesthesiology
Highlights & Awards

Highlights & Awards

Pain Medicine Fellowship
  • The largest and one of the most prestigious award-winning programs in the United States.
  • 10 ACGME-accredited positions are offered for one year.
  • To be trained by world class leaders in the field of pain medicine.
  • Serving a large number of patients with wide-ranging, complex pain conditions (120+ patients evaluated daily).
  • Patient-centered, integrated, multidisciplinary, and multimodal approaches to assessment and treatment.
  • Application of state of the art concepts and technologies to address the biopsychosocial nature of pain.
  • Abundant research and scholarly opportunities for fellows to engage.

In 2016, Cleveland Clinic Pain Medicine Fellowship Program was the recipient of the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) Pain Medicine Fellowship Excellence Award. This award recognizes Pain Medicine Fellowship Programs that provide exceptional learning experience to their fellows, prepare them to deliver the highest standard of care to patients with pain. Moreover, the award is intended to recognize programs whose efforts coincide with AAPM’s mission.

American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) Pain Medicine Fellowship Excellence Award

Pain medicine fellowship programs within the United States, accredited by ACGME, that meet the following award criteria are encouraged to apply:

  • Exemplify educational excellence, including, but not limited to:
    • High-quality, comprehensive and interdisciplinary training in both acute and chronic pain, including its evaluation, treatment and management.
    • Development of research opportunities that target fellows’ goals and needs.
    • Receiving feedback on fellows’ performance.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to providing evidence-based, safe, and patient-centered care.
  • Facilitate the most rewarding fellowship experience to trainees, including (but not limited to) work-life balance and opportunities to pursue interests and accomplish their professional goals.
Application Process

Application Process

The Cleveland Clinic Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellowship Program promotes and participates in the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) for Pain Fellowship Application. We have committed all of our 10 positions to the Match and will no longer offer off cycle positions.

  • Complete ERAS Application.
  • CV.
  • Personal Statement.
  • USMLE scores.
  • ECFMG Certificate (if applicable).
  • Three letters of recommendation (one must be from the Program Director).

If you have additional questions concerning our program, please contact the Pain Medicine Fellowship Coordinator, Mickeyla Patterson at 440.346.9291

Wellness

Wellness

Pain Medicine Fellowship
  • Psychological support and counseling at no charge.
  • On site Exercise and Gym access on site at no charge; includes “Yoga on the Rooftop” program.
  • Assigned Advisors/Mentors who serve as sources of guidance and mentoring throughout their training.
  • Orientation gathering designed to promote a collegial environment where the new fellows interact with each other, and staff to welcome them to our institution.
  • Quarterly Team Building and Recreational Activities to allow for the fellows to interact in a non-clinical setting.
  • Doctor’s Day events hosted by the Education Institute for all programs in Cleveland Clinic to attend and participate.
  • Periodic staff/fellows dinner events designed to promote interaction in a fun and non-stressful environment.
  • Periodic Program Director meetings to assess Wellness and provide feedback.
  • Lectures on well-being and fatigue mitigation strategies as part of our Academic Lecture Series.
  • Annual Graduation Ceremony.

Living in Cleveland

Cleveland, a lively, mid-sized city located on Lake Erie, features a host of cultural attractions, recreational activities, major sporting events and an exploding culinary scene. Cleveland is home to the second largest theater district in the U.S., a park system featuring 23,700 acres in 18 reservations, and is the birthplace of rock ’n’ roll, home to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Cleveland Clinic is located near the University Circle area, which is the cultural epicenter of Cleveland. This area features Severance Hall and the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Museum of Art, several other museums, and Case Western Reserve University. Downtown Cleveland, home to all major sports venues and an exploding culinary scene, is approximately two miles from Cleveland Clinic’s main campus.

Research & Publications

Research & Publications

Cleveland Clinic Pain Management faculty have been actively involved in many pivotal clinical trials (e.g., the EVOKE, SENZA-PDN, MOTION, INTRACEPT, RESTORE, ACCURATE trials, etc.) and cutting-edge research in pain medicine. We are proud of our clinical and research fellows have been actively participating in these landmark studies.

Every fellow who is interested in research will be paired with a faculty mentor in a research project. Under the mentor guidance, the fellows will prepare and submit abstracts, apply for IRB (Institutional Research Board) approvals, prepare presentations in national conferences, and ultimately publish their works in peer reviewed journals.

Fellows & Alumni

Fellows & Alumni

Current Fellows 2025-2026

Rahul Gupta, MD
Rahul Gupta, MD - Program Evaluation Committee Chief
Cleveland Clinic, Florida
Anesthesiology

James Gutcho, MD
James Gutcho, MD - Program Evaluation Committee Chief
Abrazo Health
Emergency Medicine

Jordan Italiano
Jordan Italiano, MD - Administrative Chief
Cleveland Clinic
Anesthesiology

Rajan Khanna, MD
Rajan Khanna, MD - Administrative Chief
Northwestern Memorial
Anesthesiology

Axel Rodrigues Rosa, MD
Axel Rodrigues Rosa, MD - Social Media Chief
Penn State University
Addiction Medicine

Benjamin Souferi, D.O.
Benjamin Souferi, DO - Safety, Quality and Patient Experience, Chief
Vassar Brothers Hospital
Emergency Medicine

Steven Sprenger, MD
Steven Sprenger, MD - Academic Chief
TriStar Centennial Medical Center
Psychiatry

Incoming Fellows 2026-2027

Huy Doan, DO
Huy Doan, DO
University of Massachusetts
Anesthesiology

Jaeyeong Heo, MD
Jaeyeong Heo, MD
University of Illinois
Neurology

Joseph McGuire, MD
Joseph McGuire, MD
West Virginia University
Anesthesiology

Joshua Quast, DO
Joshua Quast, DO
Corewell Health
PM&R

Neha Singh, MD
Neha Singh, MD
Baylor College of Medicine
PM&R

Mahmoodreza Torkaman, MD
Mahmoodreza Torkaman, MD
University of Mississippi
Anesthesiology

Alumni - 2024-2025

Ali Alsaif, DO
Ali Alsaif, DO
University of Toledo Medical Center Toledo, OH

Manuel Arias Bohorquez
Manuel Arias Bohorquez, MD
Billings Clinic, Montana, CT

Gianluca D’Angelo, MD
Gianluca D’Angelo, MD
Bloor Pain Specialist in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Manraj Dhesi, MD
Manraj Dhesi, MD - Chief
Edwards Hospital, Naperville, IL

Nicholas Hill, DO
Nicholas Hill, DO
BayCare - Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater, Florida

Ryan McGowan, DO
Ryan McGowan, DO
University of Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN

Mohammed Mushtaq Ahmed Hakim, MD
Mohammed Mushtaq Ahmed Hakim, MD
Henry Ford Health / Michigan State University, Michigan

Ly Zhang, MD
Ly Zhang, MD - Chief
Kaiser Permamente, UCI Health, CA

Qu Ge, MD
Qu Ge, MD
Emory Health University, Atlanta, GA

Alumni - 2023-2024

Colin Chen, DO
Colin Chen, DO
Northwell Health, Greenlawn, NY

Jagan Devarajan, MD, MBA, FASA
Jagan Devarajan, MD, MBA, FASA
Cleveland Clinic Staff, Canton, OH

Ayotunde Fadayomi, MD, MPH
Ayotunde Fadayomi, MD, MPH
Saint Francis Pain Management Center, Cape Girardeau, MO

Andrew Hanson, MD
Andrew Hanson, MD
Health First, Melbourne, FL

Shayla Mena, MD
Shayla Mena, MD
Anesthesia Associates of Willimantic, CT

John Parker, MD
John Parker, MD
University Hospital, Cleveland, OH

Joanna Peng, MD
Joanna Peng, MD
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Peter Pham, MD
Peter Pham, MD
Central Floria Pain Relief Center, Altamonte Springs, FL