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Headache Medicine Fellowship at The Mount Sinai Hospital

RESIDENCIES & FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS

Message From the Director

The Headache Medicine Fellowship at The Mount Sinai Hospital is a one-year program training the next generation of physicians in the comprehensive treatment of headache and facial pain. One of the first to be accredited by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, our fellowship gives trainees comprehensive experience with adult, adolescent, and pediatric patients. Fellows work with esteemed faculty to diagnose and treat a wide array of headache disorders, including migraine and its multiple subtypes, new daily persistent headache, trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, cerebrospinal fluid pressure disorders, and various facial pain syndromes. Upon completion, fellows can:

  • Accurately identify primary and secondary headaches
  • Take a comprehensive headache history and develop a tailored, multimodal treatment plan
  • Use acute and preventive medications, as well as neuromodulation devices and non-pharmacologic therapies, for the management of headache and facial pain
  • Administer botulinum toxin A injections, craniofacial nerve blocks, and trigger point injections
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Meet the Director

Person headshot
Anna Pace, MD
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR | Neurology, Headache

Dr. Pace specializes in migraine aura, headache in pregnancy and during lactation, and headache in transgender and gender-diverse individuals.

Fellows rotate across three clinical sites within the Mount Sinai Health System: The Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside, and Mount Sinai-Union Square. These sites give fellows access to intensive, hands-on clinical training. As the program progresses, fellows become more autonomous and confident headache medicine providers. While the focus of our fellowship is on the clinical outpatient management of headaches, there are opportunities to gain experience in a variety of patient care settings. Working with an interdisciplinary team of neurology residents, internal medicine residents, pain medicine fellows, headache medicine attendings, and medical students, our fellows complete rotations in:

  • Outpatient offices
  • Headache specialty clinics
  • Infusion suite
  • Inpatient and emergency rooms
  • Pain medicine service
  • Elective rotations in neuro-ophthalmology, neuro-otology, autonomic neurology, sleep medicine, and neuro-radiology

As part of their comprehensive neurological and multidisciplinary training, fellows learn to diagnose and manage episodic and chronic migraine, tension-type headache, medication-overuse headache, and facial pain syndromes. Fellows develop proficiency in managing various chronic headache forms, trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, and headaches associated with dysautonomia. The curriculum also covers cerebrospinal fluid pressure disorders—both high- and low-pressure states—along with specialized management of headaches during pregnancy and in vitro fertilization treatment. Additionally, fellows address the complex intersection of neurological, systemic, socioeconomic, and psychiatric factors that contribute to these conditions.

In addition to academic training, our program fosters scholarly activity. Fellows are expected to complete at least one scholarly project during the year, and are invited to author/co-author book chapters, review articles, and scientific papers. There is access to clinical research and quality improvement projects, as well as medical education projects. Independent research is highly encouraged and supported.  

As part of our didactics, there is a headache medicine bootcamp during the first six weeks of the fellowship, consisting of a case-based lecture series on various headache medicine topics, with simulation sessions for instruction in nerve blocks, trigger point injections, and botulinum toxin A injections. Lectures are given by the Department of Neurology’s headache faculty throughout the year, and fellows are expected to give at least one resident lecture per year. Fellows also lead monthly journal clubs and case presentations, as well as board review sessions.

The Headache Medicine Fellowship at The Mount Sinai Hospital welcomes three fellows each year. To be considered, fellows must have completed a neurology or pediatric neurology residency program approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (or equivalent). We also consider internal medicine or physical medicine and rehabilitation applicants on a case-by-case basis. Applicants must also be eligible for licensure in the State of New York and obtain an active New York State Medical License prior to starting the program.

We participate in the Headache Medicine Fellowship Match through the National Resident Matching Program, but do not accept applications via the Electronic Residency Application Service®. To apply to our program, please send the following to Jennifer Munoz, Interim Program Coordinator, at jennifer.munoz@mssm.edu and Anna Pace, MD, Program Director, at anna.pace@mssm.edu:

  • Application
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Personal statement

Application season begins in March. When the match opens in May, all applicants should be sure to register. We conduct interviews with selected candidates from April to June.

Program Leadership

Anna Pace, MD
Anna Pace, MD

Director, Headache Medicine Fellowship Program; Associate Professor, Neurology, Headache; Neurology Residency and Headache and Facial Pain Fellowship Alum

Jihan A Grant, MD
Jihan A Grant, MD

Director, Division of Headache Medicine; Director, David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Center for Headache Treatment and Translational Research; Assistant Professor, Neurology and Anesthesiology

Bridget R Mueller, MD, PhD
Bridget R Mueller, MD, PhD

Research Director, David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Center for Headache Treatment and Translational Research; Associate Professor, Neurology, Headache; Neurology Residency and Headache and Facial Pain Fellowship Alum

Program Faculty

Mark Barber, MD, MPH
Mark Barber, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor, Neurology; Neurology Residency and Headache and Facial Pain Fellowship Alum

Jay Dave, DO
Jay Dave, DO

Assistant Professor, Neurology, and Headache; Headache and Facial Pain Fellowship Alum

Mohamed Waleed Elshorafa, MD
Mohamed Waleed Elshorafa, MD

Assistant Professor, Neurology, and Pediatrics; Headache and Facial Pain Fellowship Alum

Mark W Green, MD
Mark W Green, MD

Professor, Neurology, Headache, and Rehabilitation Medicine and Human Performance, and Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain; Emeritus Director, Headache and Pain Medicine

Jasmin Jean, MD, MPH
Jasmin Jean, MD, MPH
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | Neurology, Headache
Michelle Bo Mi Liu, MD
Michelle Bo Mi Liu, MD
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | Neurology
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine
Alison Thaler, MD
Alison Thaler, MD

Associate Fellowship Program Director, Vascular Neurology; Assistant Professor, Neurology

Marianna Vinokur, DO
Marianna Vinokur, DO
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | Neurology
Qiu Zi Yang, MD
Qiu Zi Yang, MD
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | Neurology, Headache
TANESHA KEMBLE, NP
TANESHA KEMBLE, NP
NURSE PRACTITIONER | Neurology
SAM TRESTMAN, NP
SAM TRESTMAN, NP
NURSE PRACTITIONER-BI | Neurology

Meet Our Current Fellows

Leanne Ottoni headshot

Leanne Ottoni, MD, MPH, Class of 2026

"I chose this fellowship for the supportive environment, strong advocacy, and diverse patients and attendings. The passionate faculty made this year formative and helped shape my clinical confidence and purpose as a future headache specialist."

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Leanne Ottoni, MD, MPH, Class of 2026

"I chose this fellowship for the supportive environment, strong advocacy, and diverse patients and attendings. The passionate faculty made this year formative and helped shape my clinical confidence and purpose as a future headache specialist."

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Bryan Paulo Canlas, DO, Class of 2026

"I chose Mount Sinai for its amazing team of headache specialists who bring such diverse experiences and teaching styles. The fellowship offers great mentorship, balance, and opportunities to grow—and I’ve loved caring for many LGBTQIA+ patients here."

Leanne Ottoni headshot

Leanne Ottoni, MD, MPH, Class of 2026

"I chose this fellowship for the supportive environment, strong advocacy, and diverse patients and attendings. The passionate faculty made this year formative and helped shape my clinical confidence and purpose as a future headache specialist."

Bryan Paulo Canlas headshot

Bryan Paulo Canlas, DO, Class of 2026

"I chose Mount Sinai for its amazing team of headache specialists who bring such diverse experiences and teaching styles. The fellowship offers great mentorship, balance, and opportunities to grow—and I’ve loved caring for many LGBTQIA+ patients here."

Hira Khan headshot

Hira Khan, MD, Class of 2026

"I chose the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for its heart, innovation, and unwavering dedication to patients. As a headache medicine fellow, I’ve been inspired daily by mentors who lead with compassion and curiosity, reminding me why healing and hope must always go hand in hand."

Resources For You

Neurology Specialty Report 2025
Housing Options For Fellows
Well-Being Resources For Fellows
Department of Neurology
Resources and Activities For Fellows
Transgender Headache Medicine Program