Charles Odonkor, MD, MA
Biography
Research & Publications
Patient Care
News
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Appointments
Biography
Dr. Odonkor (triple-O) is fellowship trained and double-board certified in Interventional Pain and Physiatry. He completed pain fellowship at Harvard Medical School, the Massachusetts General Hospital and residency and patient safety and health systems design fellowship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. As an alumnus of Yale School of Medicine, he is excited to return to Yale to bring his expertise in advanced pain intervention techniques, regenerative medicine and neuromodulation to alleviate chronic pain.
Philosophy of care
Dr. Odonkor believes in doing the right thing each time for each patient and holds the view that mutual respect and trust is at the heart of any therapeutic alliance between patient and physician. He incorporates his understanding of the neuroscience of changes in the brain in chronic pain states in his clinical practice to help each person work towards restorative wellness. Treating complex chronic pain conditions requires a proactive approach with personal commitment to dietary and lifestyle changes, forming new life affirming habits, a can-do spirit and positive reframing.
Dr. Odonkor further utilizes interdisciplinary collaborative partnerships with surgeons, allied health professionals and clinicians to help mobility-limited patients achieve functional restoration. He combines expert training, cutting edge technology and compassionate care to help patients achieve realistic goals.
Areas of Expertise include:
Advanced pain therapies: spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, sacral nerve stimulation, restorative stimulation, interspinous spacers, cryoblation, radiofrequency neurotomy, basivertebral and medial branch ablation
Therapeutic injections: ganglion impar block, paravertebral blocks, interscalene blocks, pudendal nerve blocks, cluneal nerve block, occipital nerve block, femoral/obturator nerve blocks, saphenous nerve block, epidural injections, peripheral joints- shoulders, knees and hips, sacroiliac joint, cervical, thoracic and lumbar facet injections, botox/chemodenervation
Regenerative medicine: prolotherapy, platelet rich plasma therapy, nerve hydrodissection
Therapeutic modalities: shockwave therapy, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
Medico-legal consulting for work-related injury, sports injuries and motor vehicle accidents, medical cannabinoids
Special conditions treated: tail bone pain, arachnoiditis, fascial disorders, connective tissue disorder, painful diabetic neuropathy, complex regional pain syndrome CRPS 1 and 2, inflammatory conditions, nonoperative scoliosis, multifidus atrophy, whiplash syndrome, chemotherapy induced neuropathy, radiation plexopathy, chronic postsurgical pain syndrome
He has expertise in clinical trials and runs a research lab with a focus on wearable devices that involve biosensors that, for a patient with a chronic back pain, for example, track changes in range of motion, gait speed, physical activity, and other measures of function. He is involved in medical trainee education and gives several regional, national and international lectures on various topics in chronic pain science and interventional pain techniques.
Dr. Odonkor is an assistant professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation at Yale School of Medicine.
Education & Training
- Clinical FellowHarvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital (2019)
- Postdoctoral Research FellowStanford University, Wearable Health Lab (2018)
- ResidentJohns Hopkins Hospital (2017)
- FellowJohns Hopkins Hospital (2016)
- InternYale New Haven Hospital (2014)
- MDYale School of Medicine (2013)
- MAWashington University in St. Louis, Developmental, Cell and Molecular Biology (2008)
Activities
- Spinal Cord Stimulation vs. Conventional Therapies: Review of Health Care Resource UtilizationLas Vegas, NV, United States 2020North American Neuromodulation Society
- Digital biomarkers of gait and associations with function in knee osteoarthritis and lumbar spinal stenosisValencia, Valencian Community, Spain 201911th Congress of the European Pain Federation
- Impact of Opioids, Benzodiazepines and Muscle Relaxants on Spinal Cord Stimulation Trial vs. Success.Denver, CO, United States 20192019 Annual Meeting, American Academy of Pain Medicine
- Gait features for discriminating between mobility-limiting musculoskeletal disorders: lumbar spinal stenosis and knee osteoarthritis.San Antonio, TX, United States 2018Annual Assembly of the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
- Identification of wearable-sensor derived gait features associated with physical function in knee OA and lumbar spine stenosisOrlando, FL, United States 2018AAPMR Annual Assembly
- Innovations in Outcome Measures for Lumbar Spinal StenosisAtlanta, GA, United States 2018Association of Academic Physiatrists
- Identification of precursor events associated with lumbar facet joint painLake Buena Vista, FL, United States 201716th Annual Pain Medicine Meeting, American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
- The Business of Medicine: Using Predictive Analytics to Reduce Appointment Recidivism at an Academic Pain Treatment Center.Denver, CO, United States 2017Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Immediate vs. Prolonged Pain Relief after Sacroiliac Joint Injection with Anesthetic and Corticosteroid: A Prospective Study.San Francisco, CA, United States 2017Annual Meeting of the Spine Intervention Society
- Establishing Physiatry Abroad: Novel use of A Decision Matrix Framework to Identify and Address Rehabilitation Medicine Training and Education Curricula Needs in Sub-Saharan AfricaLas Vegas, NV, United States 2017Annual Meeting of the Association of Academic Physiatrists
- Searching for an oasis in a physiatry desert: a global survey of the disability training and education landscape of healthcare trainees in West AfricaNew Orleans, LA, United States 2016Annual Assembly of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Radiofrequency Neurotomy for Chronic OA after Total Knee Arthroplasty: A case seriesYokohama, Kanagawa, Japan 201616th World Congress on Pain, the International Association for the Study of Pain
- Connecting the dots: A comparative global multi-institutional study of prohibitive factors affecting cancer pain management.Baltimore, MD, United States 20161st Annual Excellence in Diversity Symposium
- Opioid Overdose Prevention and Treatment: Can A Lean Six Sigma Paradigm Enhance Compliance with Evidence Based Guidelines at a Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Program?Washington, DC, United States 2016Annual Meeting of the American College of Medical Quality
- Rehabilitation of the lumbar spine in the athleteSacramento, CA, United States 2016AAP Annual Meeting
- Residual Barium in the Pharynx after Swallowing: Two-dimensional Area does not Predict Actual 3D VolumeDallas, TX, United States 201592nd Annual Conference, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
- Paul S. Lietman Global Health Travel FellowshipKumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana (2015-2017)Paul S. Lietman Global Health Travel Fellowship
- Does ethnicity associate with distraction analgesia effect in response to Capsaicin?Palm Springs, CA, United States 201534th Annual Scientific Meeting, American Pain Society
- Levels of rehabilitation care: a comparison of healthcare systems in Japan vs. the United StatesTokyo, Tokyo, Japan 2015Fujita Health University Presidential Fellowship for Rehabilitation Research
- Functional Outcomes in an Aging Population: a comparison of two simple walking tests among older adults.Shinagawa City, Tokyo, Japan 2015Showa University School of Medicine Invited Lectureship
- Innovative Models for Medical Quality Education: Is there a Role for Social Media?London, England, United Kingdom 2013International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare
- Cross-validating a new preoperative risk model: can a simple mobility performance test predict discharge outcomes among ambulatory surgical patients?Boston, MA, United States 2013Harvard Medical School, New England Science Symposium
- Healthy quality outcomes: do socioeconomic disparities influence 30-day all-cause unplanned surgery and revisits after index ambulatory surgery?Phoenix, AZ, United States 2013Annual Meeting of the American College of Medical Quality
Honors & Recognition
Award | Awarding Organization | Date |
---|---|---|
North American Neuromodulation Society Travel Award | North American Neuromodulation Society | 2019 |
Doximity Scholar | Doximity | 2018 |
ASRA Travel Award | American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine | 2017 |
1st Place, Best of Meeting Research Paper Award | America Society of Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine | 2017 |
President's Citation Award | American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | 2017 |
1st Place, AAP Best Resident Research Paper Award | Association of Academic Physiatrist | 2017 |
Regenerative Medicine Scholarship Award | Interventional Orthopedics Foundation | 2017 |
Martin Luther King Jnr. Award for Community Service | Johns Hopkins Health System | 2016 |
Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute Leadership Academy | Johns Hopkins Hospital | 2016 |
Young Investigator Award | American Pain Society | 2015 |
Johns Hopkins Hospital Housestaff Excellence in Leadership Award | Johns Hopkins Hospital | 2015 |
Paul S. Lietman Global Health Travel Grant | Johns Hopkins Hospital | 2015 |
Johns Hopkins Biomedical Scholars Milestones Awards | Johns Hopkins Hospital | 2015 |
Fujita Health Presidential Research Scholarship | Fujita Health University | 2015 |
1st Place, AAP Best Medical Student Research Paper Award | Association of Academic Physiatrists | 2013 |
Ruth and William Silen MD Award | Harvard Medical School, New England Science Symposium | 2013 |
American College of Medical Quality Student and Resident Scholar Award, $1000 Travel Grant, 2013 | American College of Medical Quality | 2012 |
Yale Farr Leadership Award | Yale | 2012 |
AMSA Medical Humanities Award | American Medical Students Association | 2011 |
Yale FASPE Bioethics Research Fellowship Award | Yale School of Medicine | 2011 |
Mt. Desert Island Biological Research Fellowship Award | Yale School of Medicine | 2009 |
Professional Service
Organization | Role | Date |
---|---|---|
Spine Intervention Society, Diversity Taskforce, Membership Committee | Committee Member | 2020 - Present |
North American Neuromodulation Society, Diversity and Outreach Committee | Research subdivision | 2019 - Present |
Spine Intervention Society Research Committee | Committee Member | 2019 - Present |
American Academy of Pain Medicine, Pain Medicine Journal | Reviewer | 2017 - Present |
American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine | Member | 2017 - Present |
American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | Reviewer | 2017 - Present |
North American Neuromodulation Society | Member | 2017 - Present |
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Quality Practice Policy and Research Committee | Committee Member | 2016 - 2017 |
AAPMR Technology Advisory Council | Committee Member | 2016 - 2017 |
Physiatry in Motion, AAP Resident Fellow Newsletter | Newsletter Editor | 2016 - 2017 |
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, PMR Journal | Reviewer | 2015 - Present |
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | Member | 2015 - Present |
President, Association of Academic Physiatrists Resident Fellow Council | Board of Directors | 2015 - 2017 |
British Journal of Surgery | Reviewer | 2013 - Present |
Departments & Organizations
- Ortho Clinical Faculty
- Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation
- Physiatry
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
- Spondyloarthritis Program
- Yale Medicine