The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience presented awards to Johnathan H. Goree, M.D., and Erika Petersen, M.D., both physicians at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), at its third annual national meeting in Miami Beach, Florida.
Goree, director of UAMS’ Chronic Pain Division and program director of the Chronic Pain Medicine Fellowship, received the Lisa Stearns Legacy Diversity Award, presented by Dr. Natalie H. Strand.
Petersen, a neurosurgeon and professor in the UAMS College of Medicine, received the Functional Neurosurgeon of the Year award, presented by Dr. Robert Levy. Petersen was also named president-elect of the organization during the conference and will serve for a two-year term. The winners were selected by a panel of neuroscience and chronic pain therapy experts in the fields of neurosciences and chronic pain therapy.
“I am so proud that the American Society for Pain and Neuroscience is recognizing two of our physicians with these awards,” said Dr. Cam Patterson, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. “Dr. Goree’s work is especially important as Arkansas has one of the highest opioid prescribing rates resulting in high rates of addiction and overdose. He is also improving the future by training the next generation of chronic pain specialists as fellowship director of our state’s first accredited chronic pain physician training program,” Patterson added. “And Dr. Petersen has greatly improved the care we offer for our patients here at UAMS. Her work with deep brain stimulation surgery has improved the lives of so many Arkansans.”
The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience is a multidisciplinary society for chronic pain, neuromodulation and minimally invasive spine therapies.
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