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Pain medicine physician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a pain medicine physician. Pain medicine physicians usually study medicine, nursing, or business. 30% of pain medicine physicians hold a doctoral degree, and 27% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 52 real pain medicine physician resumes to see exactly what pain medicine physician education sections show.
The most common colleges for pain medicine physicians are the Purdue University and the Purdue University.
There are also many online pain medicine physician courses to help get the education required to be a pain medicine physician.
There are certain pain medicine physician certifications that you should consider. These pain medicine physician certifications include Internal Medicine and Pain Medicine (PM).
What education do you need to become a pain medicine physician?
What degree do you need to be a pain medicine physician?
- Doctorate, 30%
- Bachelor's, 27%
- Master's, 9%
- Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 25%
What should I major in to become a pain medicine physician?
Most common colleges for pain medicine physicians
| Pain medicine physician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Purdue University | 9.52% |
| Johns Hopkins University | 4.76% |
| Touro College | 4.76% |
| Harvard University | 4.76% |
| Rush University | 4.76% |
Best majors for pain medicine physicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medicine | 18.9% |
| 2 | Nursing | 16.2% |
| 3 | Business | 8.1% |
| 4 | Medical Assisting Services | 8.1% |
| 5 | Physical Therapy | 5.4% |
Best colleges for pain medicine physicians
The best colleges for pain medicine physicians are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Virginia.
A pain medicine physician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for pain medicine physicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become pain medicine physicians.
1. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
2. University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$15,730
Enrollment
18,830
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
7. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
8. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
10. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ • Private
In-state tuition
$14,974
Enrollment
35,656
20 best online courses for pain medicine physicians
Advertising disclosure
1. Pain Management: Easing Pain in Palliative Care
In this course, you will be able to develop a systems view for assessing and managing pain in the palliative care setting. By the end of the course, you will be able to: 1) Describe the pain problem in the palliative care setting; 2) Assess a person’s pain, 3) Explain the benefits of integrative therapies and pharmacologic strategies to manage pain...
2. Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative
Please join us for an exciting and innovative journey, examining one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of the oncology setting: Traditional Herbal Medicine in Supportive Cancer Care. This course is presented with short lectures offering a wide range of issues related to the principles and practice of herbal medicine in cancer care. The course includes interviews with leading world experts from the field of Integrative Oncology, from the U.S. and Canada, as well as Europe, the...
3. Introduction to Longevity Medicine
A Medical Guide to Longevity Medicine for Physicians...
4. Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Advanced Diploma
A complete program in one course, This Diploma is an Encyclopedia in The Natural Medicine field...
5. COVID-19 Training for Healthcare Workers
COVID-19 is rapidly spreading across the globe and all providers must be prepared to recognize, stabilize and treat patients with novel coronavirus infection. Following completion of this short course physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals will have a unified, evidenced-based approach to saving the lives of patients with COVID-19, including those who are critically ill. Learning modules are broken into short videos presented in a richly illustrated and compelling manner. The...
6. Case Studies in Personalized Medicine
Learn how advances in biomedicine hold the potential to revolutionize drug development, drug treatments, and disease prevention: where are we now, and what does the future hold? This course will present short primers in genetics and mechanisms underlying variability in drug responses. A series of case studies will be used to illustrate principles of how genetics are being brought to bear on refining diagnoses and on personalizing treatment in rare and common diseases. The ethical and...
7. Doctor of Natural Medicine
This course is a mini encyclopedia in natural medicine field...
8. Herbalism:: Medicinal Mushrooms Certificate
Learn the top mushrooms used in holistic and natural medicine that are most effective, safe and easily available...
9. Motivational Enhancement Techniques: Working with Patients with Opioid & Substance Use Disorders or High Risk Use MAT Waiver Training S...
WORKING WITH PATIENTS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS OR HIGH RISK This optional online course opportunity is made possible through a joint partnership with University of Virginia School of Medicine (UVASOM) and Nursing (SON) and the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP), DATA 2000 sponsor. This content was created by the AAAP and has been used with permission. The course consists of one 1-hour session for healthcare providers who wish to enhance their effectiveness in treating high-risk...
10. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...
11. Fully Accredited Holistic Pain Management Diploma Course
Fully Accredited Diploma Course With Easy & Effective Techniques Alleviating Pain Naturally & Effectively...
12. Fully Accredited Certificate in Natural Medicine & Herbalism
An Introduction to Natural Medicine and Herbalism Learn how to use these skills for yourself and others...
13. Operations and Patient Safety for Healthcare IT Staff
Now that you've been introduced to the world of Health IT and the important role played by electronic health records (EHRs), we'll focus on other technologies that play a role in maintaining ongoing operations in healthcare. Telemedicine, patient portals, barcode scanners, printers, and medical devices are just some of the technologies that impact providers and patients. As an IT support specialist, you’ll be asked to troubleshoot issues with a wide variety of tools. You'll see a scenario with...
14. Everyday Chinese Medicine
This course aims to serve as an education platform on Chinese medicine (CM) for the general public. Our primary goal is to empower healthcare choices by promoting awareness and practical application on CM diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, as well as regulation on CM services and herbal products using international examples. In the first part of this course, learners will develop skills in applying basic theory of Chinese medicine (CM) for understanding health and illnesses, and be able to...
15. Herbalism:: Medicinal Kitchen Herbs & Spices Certificate
Discover how common kitchen herbs and spices are used as herbal medicine and natural medicine for ultimate health...
16. Herbalism:: Introduction & Medicine Making Certificate
Take charge of your health with herbal medicine. Using herbs and natural holistic medicine is easy, effective and safe...
17. Clinical Kidney, Pancreas and Islet Transplantation
Kidney transplantation is a major advance of modern medicine which provides high-quality of life for patients with end-stage renal disease. What used to be an experimental, risky, and very limited treatment option more than 50 years ago is now routinely performed in many countries worldwide. The number of renal transplants is expected to rise sharply in the next decade since the proportion of patients with end stage renal disease is increasing. Are you interested in clinical kidney, pancreas...
18. Herbalism:: Growing Top Medicinal Plants Certificate
Growing your own herbal medicine is easy and allows you to have quick access to medicinal plants when you need them...
19. Yoga for Back Pain Relief & Prevention-Certification Course
The SAFE WAY to do Yoga for Back Pain!Alleviate your Pain & Strengthen your Spine with Yoga! INCLUDES 2 CERTIFICATES...
20. Herbalism:: Identify & Harvest Medicinal Plants Certificate
Identify, harvest and use easy to find herbs from the wild that are commonly used in herbal, holistic, natural medicine...
Top 10 most affordable universities for pain medicine physicians
The most affordable schools for pain medicine physicians are University of Florida, florida international university, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for pain medicine physicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for pain medicine physicians.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
7. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
8. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Cost of attendance
21,034
9. Louisiana State University at Alexandria
Alexandria, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,668
Cost of attendance
14,488
10. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for pain medicine physicians
The hardest universities for pain medicine physicians to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Virginia.
Some great schools for pain medicine physicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for pain medicine physicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
3. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
7. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
8. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for pain medicine physicians
The easiest schools for pain medicine physicians to get into are AdventHealth University, d'youville college, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a pain medicine physician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for pain medicine physicians.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
5. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
6. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
7. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
8. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
9. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
10. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
958
Average pain medicine physician salary by education level
| Pain medicine physician education level | Pain medicine physician salary |
|---|---|
| Doctorate Degree | $225,649 |
Pain medicine physician education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025