From early memories of patients in pain to shaping a holistic model of care, Dr. Phan Trong Nhan’s fellowship journey is redefining pain management in Vietnam.
As a young medical student in Vietnam, Dr. Phan Trong Nhan often found himself haunted by a particular scene: patients in agonising pain after surgery, surrounded by family members whose faces were filled with distress and helplessness. The memory stuck with him, not as a fleeting emotion, but as a call to action.
This early experience sparked a long-term commitment to anaesthesia and, more specifically, pain management. It’s what led him to specialise in anaesthesiology at Da Nang Hospital, and it’s what eventually brought him to Thailand for a WFSA Fellowship in Pain Management from late 2024 to mid-2025.
Before the fellowship, Dr. Nhan’s clinical role focused on providing anaesthesia and managing acute postoperative pain, with a particular strength in regional anaesthesia techniques. But even then, his ambitions reached beyond the operating theatre. In the years following his graduation, he played an active role in pain management training initiatives with the Vietnam Society of Anaesthesiologists and was instrumental in establishing a Pain Management unit at his hospital.
This momentum, combined with his longstanding aspiration to become a well-rounded pain specialist, shaped his goal to pursue a WFSA fellowship.
“I hoped that after a year of study, I could bring back the acquired knowledge to contribute significantly to our specialty,” he shared. “My goal was not only to improve the quality of patient treatment but also to advance training and education, particularly in the field of Pain Management.”
Expanding Knowledge, Expanding Perspective
The fellowship, based at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, opened new dimensions of both knowledge and experience. The clinical training was rigorous and diverse, covering not only Pain Management but also Palliative Care, Psychology, and Physical Therapy. But just as meaningful were the moments beyond the hospital walls.
Dr. Nhan participated in major international conferences, such as the AOSRA-PM 2024, where he served as both an instructor and a speaker, and the ASEAPS 2025 conference in Singapore, where he presented a poster. He also joined workshops and forums focused on advanced pain techniques and regional anaesthesia, adding depth to his already strong technical foundation.
Outside of the clinical setting, he embraced local culture through events like the Songkran festival, a Thai-Vietnam football match, and an exclusive cultural day trip, all of which gave him space to reflect and connect.
“These collective experiences have profoundly impacted my professional and personal growth,” he said.
From Pain Relief to Pain Understanding
What set this fellowship apart wasn’t just the new tools or protocols. It was a shift in mindset.
Previously, his work as an anaesthesiologist had little space for deep patient communication. Now, listening is a core part of his approach. “I learned to truly listen to patients’ stories and understand the multifaceted problems they face,” he shared.
His view of pain itself also changed. Rather than focusing solely on biological symptoms, he now applies a biopsychosocial model – an approach that acknowledges the emotional, psychological, and social elements of chronic and acute pain.
This shift extended into other areas as well. During the fellowship, he delivered multiple scientific presentations, developed his ability to communicate complex ideas clearly, and strengthened his capacity to work in multidisciplinary teams. He also explored new frontiers in academic research, gaining practical knowledge in the use of AI for literature searches and research support.
Bringing Change Home
Dr. Nhan’s return to Vietnam marks the beginning of a new chapter, not just for him, but potentially for pain care in his country.
He’s already begun to share what he’s learned, creating around 50 educational videos designed to help fellow doctors move away from a purely biomedical approach to one that embraces the full complexity of the patient experience. His plans are ambitious but grounded in experience.
“I am confident these new skills will be instrumental in helping me establish a multidisciplinary pain management model back home,” he said.
He sees opportunity for growth in multiple areas: clinical practice, where a more holistic approach can improve outcomes; education, where he hopes to build training programmes in collaboration with local experts and societies; and research, particularly around the development and evaluation of pain models relevant to the Vietnamese population.
He also hopes to deepen international collaboration, with WFSA, IASP, and other global pain societies, to ensure that Vietnam’s growing pain community can learn from, and contribute to, the global conversation.
Through his fellowship, Dr. Phan Trong Nhan didn’t just refine his clinical expertise. He expanded his vision of what pain care can be, and what it should become.
Dr. Nhan’s fellowship has been sponsored by WFSA and IASP.
The WFSA offers its fellowships to anaesthesiologists from low and middle-income countries to increase their skillset and become leaders for anaesthesia once they return to their home countries.
