Procedural Pearls and Pitfalls

Whether you’re preparing for your first contract, early in practice, or mentoring the next generation of pain physicians, this must-watch discussion offers candid insights on the real-world career tradeoffs facing new attendings. 

Learn:

• High-yield procedural pearls for early practice
• How to build safer, more efficient procedure-suite habits
• Best practices for fluoroscopy, radiation safety, sterility, contrast, and medication prep
• How to avoid common technical pitfalls
• How to troubleshoot difficult anatomy and unexpected findings
• Principles of case selection, planning, and procedural judgment
• Lessons recent graduates wish they knew before independent practice

Your panel included:

• Alexandra Adler, MD, a member of the IPSIS Coverage Committee at Lowell General Pain Management in Lowell, Massachusetts;
• Adem Aktas, DO, at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York;
• Mihir Joshi, MD, a Standards Division member and Early Career Council Research Division Ambassador at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
• Katharine Smolinski, DO, Early Career Council Education Division Ambassador at the University of Utah Orthopaedic Center in Midvale, Utah.

This panel was moderated by Edward Pingenot, DO, an Early Career Council Executive Council Member at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia and Cornell in New York, New York.

© 2026 International Pain and Spine Intervention Society – All Rights Reserved Materials presented in this activity have been made available by the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society for educational purposes only.