Our Physicians
Our compassionate and highly skilled medical team includes board-certified pain management physicians, nurse practitioners and registered nurses. The team works to find solutions and improve the quality of life of patients who live with chronic pain who have had little response to traditional treatment methods.
Kamal Ajam, MD
Kamal Ajam, MDDr. Kamal Ajam is a pain physician at the Carolinas Pain Institute and The Center for Clinic Research. He is also a clinical adjunct faculty in the Department of Anesthesiology at Wake Forest University. As a member of the Carolinas Pain Institute and...
Christopher Gilmore, MD
Chris Gilmore, MDDr. Christopher A. Gilmore, a magna cum laude graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis. He then completed a residency in anesthesiology at the...
Carrie Johnson, MD, PhD
Carrie Johnson, MD, PhDDr. Johnson is a board-certified Anesthesiologist and Pain Medicine physician specializing in Cancer Pain Management. She received her B.S. degree in biology with distinction from Duke University in 2001. She continued at Duke for her medical...
Leonardo Kapural MD, PhD
Leonardo Kapural, MD, PhDDr. Leonardo Kapural is a pain physician at the Carolinas Pain Institute and The Center for Clinical Research. He is also a clinical adjunct faculty of anesthesiology at Wake Forest University, School of Medicine. Dr. Kapural’s interests...
James North, MD
James North, MDDr. James North is board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine. He received his bacherlor's degree from Texas Tech University, graduating summa cum laude. In 2000, Dr. North graduated from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston where...
Richard Rauck, MD
Richard Rauck, MDDr. Richard Rauck graduated from Wake Forest University Bowman Gray School of Medicine in 1982. He received his bachelor's degree from Davidson College in Davidson, N.C., and graduated magna cum laude. He completed his residency in anesthesiology in...
Advanced Practice Providers
Chad Caldwell, PA-C
Chad Caldwell, PA-C, a native North Carolinian, decided early in his adult life to dedicate his professional career to the betterment of others in his home state. After finishing college at UNC-Charlotte, he ventured to Quinnipiac University to become a physician’s...
Melissa Cole, FNP
Melissa Cole, FNPMelissa Cole is a board-certified nurse practitioner with more than 20 years of experience in the field. In 1997, she began her studies and received an associate degree of nursing from Wilkes Community College. In 2005, Cole graduated from...
Bob Keen, PA-C
Robert Keen, PA-C, with over 21 years of experience, Keen has been with Carolinas Pain Institute for more than two years. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Albany Medical College and became a board-certified physician assistant in 1999. Before joining...
Joan Priddy-Southern, MSN, AGNP-C
Joan Priddy-Southern, MSN, AGNP-C Joan Priddy-Southern graduated from UNC-Greensboro with a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1983. In 2010, she received her master’s in nursing from UNC-G and became a board-certified adult and gerontology nurse practitioner....
Sarah Reynolds, PA-C
Sarah Reynolds, PA-CSarah Reynolds is a board-certified physician assistant specializing in pain management. She is a native of Kernersville, N.C., and a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Reynolds received her Master of Science in physician...
Deana Smart, PA-C
Deana Smart, PA-CDeana Smart, PA-C, has been with Carolinas Pain Institute for more than seven years. She received her Bachelor of Science in sports medicine from Guilford College and became a board-certified physician assistant after graduating from Wake Forest...