Dr. Vanila M. Singh, MD, MACM

Media Releases

Get to know Pain Management Specialist Dr. Vanila M. Singh, who serves patients in Redwood City, California.

A skilled pain management specialist, Dr. Singh strongly believes in a compassionate, individualized patient-centered approach to medicine. She practices at the Pain Management Center in Redwood City, California, where her focus is on regional anesthesia, perioperative care, subacute pain, and the development of chronic pain. 

Incorporating complementary and traditional medicine approaches, Dr. Singh emphasizes individualized patient care. Her professional interests extend to public health, persistent pain post-surgical procedures, and addressing long-term chronic and complex pain issues.

With a background and interest in education for medical students, residents, and fellows, Dr. Singh serves as a Clinical Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford and is a teaching mentor at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Born in Bikaner, India, Dr. Singh immigrated to the United States with her parents at the age of one. Raised in Fremont, California, she attended Niles Elementary School, Centerville Junior High School, and Washington High School. She then pursued higher education, earning her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1993 and her Medical Degree from the George Washington School of Medicine in 1997. 

Her medical journey continued with an internship at New Haven Hospital in 1998, followed by residency and fellowship at New York Presbyterian Hospital in 2001 and 2002, respectively.

In 2016, Dr. Singh furthered her education with a Master of Academic Medicine Degree in Education, Curricula Development, Leadership from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. This professional development aimed to enhance her leadership skills, educational curriculum development, interdisciplinary work, and collaborations with faculty nationwide.

In pursuit of clinical excellence, the doctor is double board certified in pain medicine and anesthesiology by the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA). The mission of the ABA is to advance the highest standards of the practice of anesthesiology. 

Actively involved in professional organizations, Dr. Singh holds esteemed positions such as Academic Director in the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, Board Member of the Chair Advocacy Committee in the California Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, and memberships in the American Society of Anesthesiology and Lucid Lane.

Having a keen interest in health policy and a background in economics, Dr. Singh has been an invited speaker on the opioid crisis, pain management, and the growing illicit drug crisis nationwide. She previously held the position of Chief Medical Officer in the US Department of Health and Human Services and chaired the HHS Task Force in collaboration with the Department of Defense and the Veterans Affairs. Under her leadership, the task force submitted a comprehensive and accessible final report to Congress.

Pain management is a branch of medicine employing an interdisciplinary approach for easing the suffering and improving the quality of life of those living with chronic pain. A pain management specialist is a doctor who specializes in pain medicine, focusing on the evaluation, treatment, and prevention of pain.

With a diverse background in molecular and cell biology, economics, pain medicine, and regional anesthesia, Dr. Singh specializes in advanced ultrasound-guided procedures for pain and anesthesia medicine. She has contributed to medical ethics and served on scientific editorial boards and committees for prestigious organizations such as the American Society of Regional Anesthesia, the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, the California Medical Association, and the Santa Clara County Medical Association.

In 2009, Dr. Singh participated in the Teaching Scholars Program in Regional Anesthesia. His journey of accolades continued as he received the Leading Physicians of the World Award from the International Organization of Healthcare in 2017, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians in 2018, and recognition of Public Service Award from the Maryland Society of Anesthesiology in October 2018. The accolades persisted with the Visionary Leader Award from the Pain and Business Academy in the same month.

In March 2019, Dr. Singh received the Presidential Commendation from the American Academy of Pain Medicine. His commitment to excellence continued to mount with the Philip M. Lippe Award from the American Academy of Pain Medicine in February 2020 and the Standiford Helm Award from the California Society of Interventional Pain Physicians in October 2021.

Dr. Singh credits her achievements to a combination of healing humility, navigating challenging health conditions, and choosing the path less traveled. Her unwavering commitment remains dedicated to the well-being of her patients. 

A resident in the Bay Area of California, Dr. Singh is happily married and is a proud parent of two children.

Recommended Articles

• Colorado Family Raises Awareness to Find Cystic Fibrosis Cure

  Before, during, and after having a baby, time is spent stressing about getting all the things the baby will need, thinking about whether the nursery will be done on time, and lots of time is spent worrying whether the baby will be healthy or not. This worst fear of many moms and dads came true for...

• Croup in Adults

  Croup is a very common respiratory infection in children, but it can also occur in adults. It can occur at any point and is quite infectious since the virus is often being dispersed through the air, which causes the infection to spread to others. Although rare, croup can also be caused by bacterial...

• Aspiring Nurse Reveals New Research Regarding Celiac Disease

  Gluten-free foods have jumped to the forefront of many people's minds. Stores have changed their shelves to accommodate gluten-free packaging. It has become a trend to avoid foods with gluten, even with individuals without an allergy to it. Many people are trying a gluten-free diet because they...

• How Mindfulness and Meditation Can Help Crohn's and Colitis

  Maintaining a healthy and peaceful mind is an important part of overall health. When living with a chronic disease like inflammatory bowel, it can be easy to neglect psychological health. The physical pain, frequent hospital visits, and distressing gastrointestinal symptoms are all but relaxing for...

• What To Do If You Think You Have Gallstones

  If you are 60 and above or have heart disease, abdominal pain can be a serious problem to your health. You need to seek immediate medical attention if you experience sudden or intense pain with unknown cause. If you lose consciousness or have a hard time breathing, you should be concerned and...

• 6 Reasons Why You Are Coughing Up Green Mucus

  IntroductionMucus is a moist film, which helps keep your nose from drying out and protect your lungs from foreign substances, such as bacteria, viruses, dust, and other harmful intruders. It keeps you healthy but you may only notice it whenever you are sick. Mucus becomes thicker when you are sick,...