The UNMC Department of Anesthesiology’s pain medicine fellowship program will soon welcome new leadership. Effective July 1, Kimberley Haynes-Henson, MD, will become the program director, while Marshall Ladd, MD, will serve as assistant program director.
For Dr. Haynes-Henson, the transition is more of a homecoming than a new beginning. She previously served as program director after establishing the fellowship program in 2015 and has been the assistant program director for the past three years.
“We are always introducing new things into the curriculum, because our field is changing so rapidly right now,” she said. “But there are always things we can do to make things better and more responsive to fellow needs.”
That adaptability, she said, is a key strength of a small program. “Each class of fellows is a little bit different. They have different goals and learning styles. With a program our size, we can stay flexible while still meeting ACGME requirements.”
The next few years will bring continued curriculum updates and preparations for an upcoming ACGME site visit. Dr. Haynes-Henson also emphasized staying ahead of innovations in the field, such as the recent addition of Nalu, a peripheral nerve stimulation system, and the Intercept procedure, ensuring fellows are trained in cutting-edge techniques.
Dr. Ladd, who is new to the assistant director role, echoed Dr. Haynes-Henson’s focus on continuous improvement. “We’re hoping to structure the weekly didactics a bit more intentionally,” he said. “Right now, it’s somewhat ad hoc. We’d like to assign lectures more systematically to ensure comprehensive topic coverage.”
He also said that while major changes aren’t expected in the next few years, the team remains committed to making thoughtful refinements based on feedback and performance.
Both leaders said the most successful fellows are those who bring a strong work ethic and a genuine desire to help patients facing chronic pain.
“It can be a tough patient population,” said Dr. Haynes-Henson. “But when you get someone who’s been hurting for years tell you they feel like themselves again, it’s incredibly rewarding.”
Dr. Ladd agreed, adding that pain medicine allows him to connect with patients in ways not always possible in anesthesiology. “You don’t realize how much you miss hearing ‘Thank you, doctor,’ until you’re not part of that conversation,” he said. “That one-to-one relationship is powerful.”
Both physicians highlighted the fellowship’s strengths beyond clinical skills, particularly the sense of community, saying fellows often graduate into solo practice settings, so building lasting peer and mentor relationships is essential. “I still get texts from former fellows asking for second opinions,” said Dr. Haynes-Henson. “That network of support is something I hope all our trainees carry forward.”
Outside of work, Dr. Haynes-Henson said she stays grounded through music, cooking, gardening and her love of skiing. “I work so I can ski in the winter,” she said. “I have an absolutely fabulous granola recipe, because everyone who leaves the state of Oregon, which is my state of residency, is required to have one.”
Dr. Ladd describes himself as a homebody who enjoys symphonies, language learning and personal finance. He’s currently studying Japanese and shares financial literacy tips with fellows.
While both leaders have different paths, they share a vision of maintaining a strong foundation while continuing to evolve with the field. “We have a good thing going,” Dr. Ladd said. “But there’s always room to fine-tune.”
Madhuri Are, MD, congratulated Drs. Haynes-Henson and Ladd on their new appointments, adding “We have a great pain medicine fellowship program that strives for excellence in education, innovative procedural techniques and compassionate clinical care in a collaborative environment.”