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VA Post-residency Advanced Fellowship Program in Parkinson's Disease
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. Please click on “Addresses”
for the site locations and addresses.
Fellowship Director Address List
Eugene C. Lai, M.D
Director, PADRECC Center
6550 Fannin, Suite 1801
Houston, TX 77030
Matthew Stern, M.D.
Director, PADRECC Center
330 South 9th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
John G. Nutt, M.D.
Director, PADRECC Center
Portland VA Medical Center
3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road
Portland, OR 97239
Vincent Calabrese, M.D.
Director, PADRECC Center
Neurology Service (127)
VA Medical Center
1201 Broad Rock Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23249
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
Jeff Bronstein, M.D., Ph.D
Director, Movement Disorders
UCLA School of Medicine
710 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095
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