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VA Post-residency Advanced Fellowship Program in Parkinson's Disease
Medical & Dental Education
Advanced Fellowships
Associated Health Education
Application Forms
History and Purpose
Parkinson's disease is a serious health problem in the United States. It is a slowly progressive disease. While treatments exist, there is no cure for this debilitating disease. About 1.5 million Americans have the disease, and approximately 50,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. VA medical centers treat at least 20,000 Parkinsonian patients each year.
In 2001, VA announced creation of six centers specializing in Parkinson's disease to better address the needs of veterans with Parkinson's disease. The centers, named Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Centers (PADRECCs), were established at VA medical centers in Houston, Philadelphia, Portland, Richmond, San Francisco, and West Los Angeles.
Each center conducts research, education, and clinical care focusing on Parkinson's
disease and movement disorders; and each center has a VA Advanced Fellowship Program
in Parkinson's disease. The Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) started
this
fellowship program to develop a cadre of physicians for academic leadership in this
complex, interdisciplinary field.
Program Overview
The fellowship provides two years of post-residency research, education, and clinical learning opportunities to eligible neurologists and neurosurgeons. Fellows spend approximately 75 percent of their time in research and education and 25 percent in clinical care at the selected VA sites. Fellowship research experiences can include basic biomedicine, rehabilitation, health services delivery, clinical trials related to Parkinson's disease, and appropriate participation in a clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of surgical implantation of deep brain stimulators in reducing the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Mentors of national stature provide guidance to fellows in rich learning environments. Graduates are expected to be role models in leading, developing, conducting, and evaluating innovative research, education, and clinical care in Parkinson's disease.
Fellowship Requirements
Eligible physicians must have graduated from an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited residency; be board certified or board eligible in neurology or neurosurgery; and have an active, unrestricted U.S. medical license. They must desire to lead healthcare in Parkinson's disease in the 21st century. International medical graduates must also have a current visa to participate in the program and an Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate that is valid indefinitely. Applicants with a J-1 visa must have current ECFMG sponsorship to participate in the program.
Application
To inquire about the application process and to learn more about the program, interested physicians should write to the site of their choice and send a cover letter and curriculum vitae to that site.
Fellowship Director Address List
Houston, TX
Eugene C. Lai, M.D
Director, PADRECC Center
6550 Fannin, Suite 1801
77030
Los Angeles, CA
Jeff Bronstein, M.D., Ph.D
Director, Movement Disorders
UCLA School of Medicine
710 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Philadelphia, PA
Matthew Stern, M.D.
Director, PADRECC Center
330 South 9th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Portland, OR
John G. Nutt, M.D.
Director, PADRECC Center
Portland VA Medical Center
3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road
Portland, OR 97239
Richmond, VA
Vincent Calabrese, M.D.
Director, PADRECC Center
Neurology Service (127)
VA Medical Center
1201 Broad Rock Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23249
San Francisco, CA
William J. Marks, Jr., M.D.
Director, PADRECC Center
Neurology Service (127)
Center for Parkinson's Disease &
Movement Disorders
VA Medical Center
4150 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA 94121
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