Radiologists as Spine and Pain Specialist

In this episode, host Dr. Jacob Fleming interviews interventional pain specialist and former Super Bowl champion Dr. John Michels about his journey into the subspecialty, pathways for getting involved in interventional pain management, and his philosophy on comprehensive patient care.

Dr. Michels describes his first career as an NFL player with the Green Bay Packers and how it taught him to be comfortable with external pressures and delayed gratification. He recounts the knee injury that led to an early retirement from the field, as well as interactions with radiologists, surgeons, and rehabilitation specialists that got him thinking about entering the field of medicine. He ended up pursuing a diagnostic residency at Baylor University, and then an additional interventional pain fellowship at the University of California at Irvine.

Throughout his training, he recognizes that there is great synergistic benefit when specialists team up to provide multidisciplinary care and teach each other different skills. For example, he refined his physical exam skills by working with a PM&R physician, and he also taught other physicians how to read imaging.

Dr. Michels believes that the most gratifying part of his career is the opportunity to diagnose, treat, and follow up with patients. In his Dallas-based independent OBL, he splits his time between clinic and procedural days. He enjoys seeing the impact that his interventions have on patients, and he is committed to providing alternatives to opioid use. Dr. Michels encourages more radiologists to explore the field of interventional pain, which is now recognized as a radiology subspecialty by the American Board of Radiology. Overall, when imaging is combined with physical examination and history-taking, the patient will enjoy the benefits of better diagnosis and care.