Top Doctors of 2025: Pain & Palliative Care

The suppression of pain and promotion of comfort are the overarching themes of this family of specialties.

Anesthesiology

Charged with the total perioperative care of patients before, during and after surgery, these specialists administer anesthetics in the surgical theater and monitor a patient’s vital stats.

Sonny Batheja MD
Copper Canyon Anesthesia
Phoenix, 602-399-4537

Ryan Clair Craner MD
Mayo Clinic
5777 E Mayo Blvd
Phoenix, 480-515-6296

Julie Crichton MD
Valley Anesthesiology
Consultants
Phoenix, 602-262-8900

Peter Hunger MD
Valley Anesthesiology
Consultants
Phoenix, 602-262-8900

Molly Kraus MD*
Mayo Clinic Hospital
5777 E Mayo Blvd
Phoenix, 480-301-8000

Stephanie Nevins MD
Anesthesia Resources
4605 E Elwood St, Ste 500
Phoenix, 480-820-9141

Joshua Newby DO
Valley Anesthesiology
Consultants
Phoenix, 602-262-8900

Palak Patel MD
Valleywise Medical Center
2601 E Roosevelt St
Phoenix, 602-344-5011

Anne Rahman MD
Valley Anesthesiology
Consultants
Phoenix, 602-262-8900

David Rosenfeld MD
Mayo Clinic Hospital
5777 E Mayo Blvd
Phoenix, 480-301-8000

Harkanwal Sachdev MD
Valley Anesthesiology
Consultants
Phoenix, 602-262-8900

Mark Williams MD
Valley Anesthesiology
Consultants
Phoenix, 602-262-8900

Hospice & Palliative Medicine

Physicians in this specialty have advanced knowledge and skills to prevent and relieve the suffering experienced by patients with life-limiting, life-threatening and terminal illnesses.

Donato G. Dumlao MD
Banner MD Anderson
2940 E. Banner Gateway Dr,
Ste 450
Gilbert, 480-256-6444

Mark Edwin MD*
Mayo Clinic Hospital
5777 E Mayo Blvd
Phoenix, 480-342-4800

Shiri Etzioni MD
Mayo Clinic Hospital
5777 E Mayo Blvd
Phoenix, 480-342-4800

Rama Kunkle DO
HonorHealth-John C Lincoln Medical Center
250 E Dunlap Ave
Phoenix, 602-943-2381

Nathalie Petein-Alamshaw MD
Banner Thunderbird
Medical Center
5555 W Thunderbird Rd
Glendale, 602-865-4195

Derek Thompson MD
HonorHealth-Scottsdale Shea
9003 E Shea Blvd
Scottsdale, 480-323-3000

Jamie Ellis-Wittenhagen DO
Mayo Clinic Arizona
5777 E Mayo Blvd
Phoenix, 480-515-6296

PAIN MANAGEMENT

Physicians from various fields – anesthesiology, PM&R and neurology/psychiatry – can ultimately become board-certified to treat patient discomfort as pain specialists.

Matthew Crooks MD*
OrthoArizona Pinnacle Pain
9815 N 95th St, Ste 101
Scottsdale, 480-407-6400

John Freeman DO
Mayo Clinic Hospital
5881 E Mayo Blvd
Phoenix, 480-301-8394

Ashu Goyle DO
Integrated Spine, Pain
and Wellness
7425 E Shea Blvd, Ste 102
Scottsdale, 480-660-8801

Jerome Grove MD
Pain Consultants of Arizona
20950 N Tatum Blvd, Ste 100
Phoenix, 480-222-7246

Ahdev Kuppusamy MD
The Pain Experts of Arizona
10213 N 92nd St, Ste 101
Scottsdale, 480-550-9393

Anthony Lee MD
OrthoArizona
8405 N Pima Center Pkwy, Ste 204
Scottsdale, 602-648-5444

John Malayil MD
NovaSpine Pain Institute
14300 W Granite Valley Dr, Ste A1
Sun City West, 623-777-4747

Jillian Maloney MD
Mayo Clinic Hospital
5777 E Mayo Blvd
Phoenix, 480-342-2000

Ankit Patel DO
Elite Pain and Spine Institute
1641 E Osborn Rd, Ste 6
Phoenix, 480-900-7373

Nicholas A Scott MD
The CORE Institute
18444 N. 25th Ave Suite 210
Phoenix, 866-974-2673

Brad Sorosky MD
Desert Spine and Sports
Physicians
3700 N 24th St, Ste 210
Phoenix, 602-840-0681

Natalie Strand MD
Mayo Clinic Hospital
5881 E Mayo Blvd
Phoenix, 480-301-8394

Omar Syed MD
Canyon Pain and Spine
6320A W Union Hills Dr, Ste 270
Glendale, 480-561-5000

Omar Viswanath MD
Mountain View Headache
and Spine Institute
4729 E Union Hills Dr
Phoenix, 602-767-0007

Christopher Wie MD
Mayo Clinic Hospital
5881 E Mayo Blvd
Phoenix, 480-301-8394

Nicholas Scott, M.D.

Pain Management
Med School/Year Graduated: University of Miami, 2007
Years in Practice: 13

Is there a pain management tool or method in your medical arsenal that surprises people with its effectiveness?
Yes. Vertebral augmentation procedures, such as kyphoplasty. We perform these when someone has had a spinal fracture by using a thin tube to inject an acrylic cement into that fracture. Oftentimes, these procedures immediately resolve people’s pain.

What is the most pain you personally have experienced? Did your specialization help you cope with it – physically and mentally?
I herniated a disc in my neck once that compressed my spinal cord [and required] emergent surgery – a decompression and fusion. Having seen and treated these injuries before, I knew what was involved in treating them, and that was very helpful for me on a personal and mental level.

What is radiofrequency ablation and how successful is it in providing long-term pain relief?
During a radiofrequency ablation procedure, the small nerves that send pain signals from the joints in the back of the spine are burned. Because these nerves eventually regrow and start sending pain signals again, these procedures typically provide excellent relief for anywhere from six to 12 months.

What lifestyle factors can exacerbate chronic pain? What advice do you give to your patients to manage these factors?
Smoking. Don’t start. If you are smoking, highly consider quitting – there are numerous resources available.

Lots of pain talk! Let’s go in the opposite direction: What are some of your favorite pleasures in life?
The simple things in life: spending time with family, being outdoors and good food. Specifically, tacos.

You studied in California, Texas and Florida. Which of those three tempts you to move the most?
All three are phenomenal states: Florida with its beaches, Texas with its barbecue and great people and California with its spectacular scenery. But there’s no place I’d rather be than here.

What shows are you streaming these days?
Shogun. I’ve always admired Japanese culture and practiced judo for several years. My sensei, who learned judo in a Japanese internment camp, taught me a lot of life skills that I still use to this day – discipline, perseverance and self-improvement.

“If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be…”
A world traveler. I love learning about other cultures and exploring new places.