Member Spotlight

April 2025

Vinny Francio, MD

Instructor, Division of Pain Medicine
Department of Anesthesiology
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Washington University School of Medicine
St. Louis, MO
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​NANS member since 2022
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NANS members can find me on LinkedIn and @VinnyFrancioMD (Instagram, Twitter/X)
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A Clinical Instructor in the Division of Pain Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. I was born and raised in Brazil in a typically loud Italian family, and like most Brazilian kids, my first dream was to become a professional soccer player. When that didn’t pan out, I turned to music, chasing the dream of becoming a rockstar. Eventually, I found my true calling in healthcare. I started out as a chiropractor, then moved to the U.S. over 15 years ago to continue my education. I earned a Master's degree in Clinical Research and went on to complete my residency and pain fellowship at the University of Kansas Medical Center. 
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Areas of Expertise:
Interventional spine care, neuromodulation, pain medicine, clinical research, and academic education.
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Why I enjoy what I do:
What I love about my work is that it allows me to combine my passions—traveling, teaching, learning, and connecting with people. I frequently attend and speak at national and international pain conferences, where I get to share what I know and soak up new ideas. Outside of medicine, I stay true to my roots: I still play soccer, make music (guitar, drums, vocals), and chase live rock concerts nationwide whenever I can. My wife and I also share a love for animals and the outdoors—we have two horses, and I proudly support her equestrian hunter-jumper competitions.

How I became interested in neuromodulation:
My journey into neuromodulation began in 2014, when I was practicing as a chiropractor in a spine center alongside surgeons and pain docs. That’s when I first encountered spinal cord stimulation and the science of modulating pain through targeted electrical signals. It aligned perfectly with my interest in the neurophysiology pain control with manual therapies. It was love at first sight—and eventually, a full commitment to the field.
 
The best thing about NANS:
The NANS Leadership Development Program has been the most rewarding leadership experience of my career. It’s a first-class effort by the society to invest in its members—providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities to grow both professionally and personally. I’m proud to be part of this mission to advance the future of neuromodulation and stay actively involved with NANS with leadership development, guidelines committee, teaching and participating in the Annual Meeting. 

​My favorite band:
My favorite band was once known as the most dangerous band on the planet: Guns N’ Roses. 
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Words to live by:
Live and let die. 

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