AAPM Member Focus: Dr. Amanda Toye
July Member Focus: Amanda Toye, MD
This July, AAPM is proud to spotlight Dr. Amanda Toye, a dedicated physician leader, educator, and advocate for comprehensive, patient-centered pain care. Recently elected as a Director-at-Large on the AAPM Board of Directors, Dr. Toye brings a wealth of clinical expertise and a passion for mentoring the next generation of pain medicine specialists.
Dr. Toye serves as Chief of the Division of Pain Medicine within the Department of Anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she is also Associate Medical Director for Pain Clinics and Associate Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology. Throughout her career, she has championed an interdisciplinary approach to pain management, recognizing that meaningful care extends far beyond treating physical symptoms.
“We specialize in pain management, but the work is really about caring for the whole person suffering from pain.”
That philosophy has guided Dr. Toye from residency and fellowship through years in private practice and now academic medicine.
“I’ve learned that pain is rarely something we can fix by treating just one symptom or problem. Patients often need more from us: listening and a broader view of what’s affecting their quality of life. That understanding has shaped how I practice and how I teach. As an academic physician, mentoring our fellows has become one of the most rewarding parts of my career, helping the next generation treat with compassion.”
In addition to her clinical and academic leadership, Dr. Toye is committed to developing future leaders in pain medicine through education and mentorship. Her dedication to teaching reflects AAPM’s mission of advancing excellence in patient care through collaboration, innovation, and lifelong learning.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Toye enjoys pursuing passions that require both patience and discipline. She recently returned to playing the harp after restarting lessons in Nashville, having first learned the instrument as a child. She also enjoys training her German Shepherd alongside her husband, celebrating the milestone of teaching their dog to walk confidently off leash.
Dr. Toye’s commitment to compassionate care, education, and leadership exemplifies the values of AAPM. We are honored to feature her as July’s Member Focus and look forward to her contributions to AAPM.
Nominate a fellow AAPM member who exemplifies our mission to advance multidisciplinary pain care innovation, education, advocacy, and research by completing the nomination form here.