Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Neurorehabilitation Fellowship
The Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, an affiliate of Northwestern University, is offering a one-year fellowship in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Movement Disorders Neurorehabilitation, held annually starting in July 2021.
This will be the first-ever fellowship program dedicated to training physiatrists in the principles of neurorehabilitation as applied to PD and movement disorders. The field of movement disorders includes Parkinson’s disease, atypical parkinsonian syndromes, tremors, dystonia, gait disorders, Huntington’s disease, functional movement disorders, spasticity, and other movement-related conditions.
This fellowship program will provide an educational training experience incorporating didactics, clinical care management, scientific research, and mentorship opportunities. The clinical experience will encompass the continuum of rehabilitative care for individuals with PD and movement disorders and management across the disease spectrum, from early interventions to advanced care. Rotations will occur at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab outpatient clinics, inpatient units, and Day Rehabilitation facilities as well as the Northwestern Medicine Neurology/Movement Disorders clinics. The fellowship is designed to provide a comprehensive educational experience that will prepare the trainee with the evaluation and management skills needed to provide optimal care to patients with PD and movement disorders.
About the Program
Objectives
Patient care and procedural skills
Obtain essential and accurate patient care information regarding the phenomenology, features, and differential diagnoses of PD and movement disorders, develop and implement patient management plans, address secondary complications of PD and movement disorders, perform all medical procedures, and make decisions about diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
Medical knowledge
Display rigor in thinking of clinical situations and know the basic and clinically supportive sciences as it applies to underlying disease pathophysiology and the comprehensive care of the PD and movement disorders patient.
Practice-based learning and improvement
Recognize neurorehabilitation services as a continuum of treatment options for people with PD and movement disorders and demonstrate competence referring to and advocating for appropriate care of their patients utilizing evidence based medicine.
Interpersonal and communication skills
Effectively work within the interdisciplinary team and communicate treatment recommendations in the acute and chronic care setting with the patients, their care partners, and the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team.
Professionalism
Demonstrate compassion, integrity and respect for others as well as sensitivity and responsiveness to diverse patient populations, adhere to ethical principles relevant to the practice of PD and movement disorders neurorehabilitation and research, and demonstrate accountability to self, patients, society and the profession.
Systems-based practice
Demonstrate effective coordination of care among medical specialties within the health care system and provided by an interdisciplinary team, identify system errors and process issues to further improve patient care using Quality Improvement methodology and participate in Quality Improvement initiatives.
Rotations
Rotations include experiences in the following:
- Core rotations:
- Outpatient PD and Movement Disorders clinic, including fellow’s own clinic
- Inpatient PD and Movement Disorders consults
- Movement Disorders Neurology clinic at Northwestern Medicine
- Dedicated research time one day a week
- Specialty areas:
- Day Rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation therapy, and the Adaptive Sports and Fitness Center
- Botulinum toxin injections, ultrasound, baclofen pump programming and filling
- Performance and interpretation of video swallowing studies
- Neuropsychology, psychology, and social work as related to PD and movement disorders
- Vocational rehabilitation, Assistive Technology Program, and the Wheelchair Seating and Positioning Center
- Gait lab, gait analysis, and bionic medicine as related to PD and movement disorders
- Elective time in other neurorehabilitation areas as related to PD and movement disorders
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates must have successfully completed an ACGME accredited US residency program in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R). Residents/graduates from other appropriate specialties may be considered on an individual basis.
- Candidates should be “board eligible.” J-1 Visa candidates are not permitted.
- Candidates are selected for the fellowship from eligible applicants based upon their preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills, and personal qualities. No discrimination is made based upon sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
How to Apply
Applicants will be expected to submit a letter of interest and personal statement, CV, 3 letters of reference, and relevant exam scores.
For additional information or to apply for the fellowship, please contact: Jennifer G. Goldman, MD, MS.
Why Northwestern?
Housestaff training through McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University provides diverse and challenging clinical experiences and world-class education located in the heart of the beautiful city of Chicago. Learn more via the links to the McGaw website below.
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Contact Us
Jennifer G. Goldman, MD, MS
Program Director
Section Chief, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders
312-238-7363
Fellow
Ala Elyaman, DO
Residency: Larkin Community HospitalPhysician-Scientist Training & Resources
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