Movement Disorders Fellowship

In one year, fellows are exposed to the full breadth of movement disorders in a specialized academic center in the heart of Philadelphia. The goal of the one-year fellowship is to train qualified Neurology graduates to become independent and confident specialists in the field of movement disorders.

The fellow will train under (7) fellowship-trained Movement Disorder neurologists, and will have the support of (2) nurse practitioners, a dedicated physician assistant, nurse, social worker, genetic counselor, physical therapist, clinic navigator, and administrative assistant.  Our team and fellow work closely with (4) Functional Neurosurgeons, (2) PhD neuroscientists, neuropsychology, geriatric psychiatry, cognitive neurology and rehabilitation medicine.

The Center provides comprehensive care for the region’s most complex patients with Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, Huntington’s disease, ataxia, myoclonus, and other movement disorders.

Our center was recognized as a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence since 2019 and National Ataxia Foundation Ataxia Center of Excellence (ACE) in 2025.

The fellow will work side-by-side with an attending, seeing a mix of new and established patients approximately (8) sessions per week.  The primary clinical site is located in the new state-of-the-art Honickman Center on 11^th and Chestnut Street.  Our location in the heart of Philadelphia allows us to serve a rich and diverse patient population from urban, suburban, and rural regions of the Delaware Valley tri-state region.

Our well-established Deep Brain stimulation (DBS) program provides the fellow with ample opportunity to learn principles of patient, device, and target selection, and to perform hands-on programming using all of the latest technologies available (Medtronic®, Boston Scientific®, and Abbott®). High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is currently available at Lehigh Valley Hospital.  Additional opportunities to observe DBS or HIFU in the operating room/MRI suite are available for the interested fellow.

Proficiency in Botulinum toxin/chemodenervation injections using Botox®, Myobloc®, Dysport®, or Xeomin® is another core skill that our fellows gain through at least (3) clinic sessions per week with multiple faculty.  Fellows gain experience using electromyography or ultrasound guidance for more accurate injection. Subcutaneous dopaminergic therapies (Vyalev™ and Onapgo™) and diagnostic skin biopsies are regularly utilized in our clinic and are incorporated into the fellow experience.

While there is no overnight or weekend call, the fellow will also have the opportunity to provide occasional inpatient consultations for a variety of movement disorders, as requested by the inpatient neurology service.

Beyond clinical care, the fellowship curriculum includes a monthly Video Rounds & Journal Club that the fellow leads.  A quarterly lecture series through the Delaware Valley Regional Movement Disorders Group allows the fellow to meet and interact with the region’s specialists and thought leaders.  Attending weekly Neurology Grand Rounds, particularly Movement Disorder-focused lectures, is encouraged.

Monthly DBS multidisciplinary conference allows the fellow to interact with all team members regarding DBS and HIFU candidates and their outcomes. Collaborative DBS research efforts are often discussed as well.  This provides an ideal forum for trainees to gain a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of movement disorders, basal ganglia anatomy, identification of potential DBS candidates, and surgical target selection, among other considerations.

Opportunities for community outreach, such as speaking at patient support group meetings and attending health fairs, are available for interested fellows. The Center participates in multiple charity events, such as the annual “Walk to Stamp Out Parkinson’s” run by the Parkinson’s Council. Interested fellows may elect to work with our Home-based palliative care nurse practitioner to gain additional perspective on the management of complex advanced disease.

The Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University is one of the nation’s largest private medical colleges. Multiple faculty members in our division are involved in medical education, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. For the fellow interested in education, there are ample opportunities to teach both Jefferson medical students and neurology residents.

Fellows are provided with protected time and a stipend for academic travel.  Attendance at the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society’s course in Aspen is highly encouraged, with dedicated travel funding provided.  Opportunities are fostered for trainees to present research at national and international conferences, such as the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting or Annual Congress of the International Parkinson’s and Movement Disorder Society (MDS).

Opportunities for clinical research training are available for qualified fellows who express interest. Fellows may become involved in basic science, DBS, clinical, genetic, and education research. Research opportunities and progress are discussed at our monthly division research meeting. The basic scientists affiliated with the Center include Smeyne, Richard J, PhD, and Iacovitti, Lorraine, PhD. Collaborative research opportunities in neuropsychology, cognitive neurology, and rehabilitation medicine are also available, should the fellow express interest.

For the qualified candidate interested in working with one of our faculty investigators, we will consider extending the fellowship (i.e., two years).  We ask such candidates to contact the program director before applying.

Application process
We participate in the Movement Disorders Fellowship SF Match Program. For submission opening date and deadline, please visit SF Match directly. Interviews take place in the summer.