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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
Acting Director: Aliya Sarwar
Houston, TX PADRECC Center VHA Houston PADRECC Center 6550 Fannin, Suite 1801 Houston, TX 77030	Telephone 713-794-7201

Research Focus: Please contact site for more details.

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Los Angeles, CA VHA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
Director: Jeff Bronstein, MD, PhD
Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System UCLA School of Medicine 11301 Wilshire Blvd. Director: Movement Disorders B:500;R:3044;M:127 710 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90095	Telephone 310-478-3711

 Research Focus: Please contact site for more details.

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Philadelphia, PA, VAMC
Director: John Duda, MD  Co-Director: Matthew Stern, MD  Administrative Officer: Dawn McHale
PADRECC Center Philadelphia VA Medical Center 3900 Woodland Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19104	Telephone 215-823-5800 ext.5934 Fax 215-823-5815 WebSite

Research Focus: Non motor symptoms in Parkinson ’s disease

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Portland, OR VAMC
Director: Joseph Quinn, MD  Co-Director: John G. Nutt, MD Program Assistant: Elizabeth Minium
PADRECC Center Portland VA Medical Center 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road P-3-PADRECC Portland, OR 97239	Telephone 503-721-1091 Fax 503-402-2961 WebSite

Research Focus: The VA Special Fellowship Program in Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders provides two years of post-residency research, education, and clinical learning opportunities to eligible neurologists. Rotations at the Portland VA Medical Center and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) offer clinical exposure to a large volume of patients with Parkinson's Disease, dystonia, Huntington's disease, and other movement disorders as well as training in botullinum toxin injection clinics, neurogenetics clinic and deep brain stimulation (DBS) programming. Research opportunities include a variety of basic and clinical projects. Educational activities enhancing clinical training include journal clubs seminars and individual didactic sessions. In addition, fellows participate in the Human Investigations Program (HIP) at OHSU, leading to a Certificate of Training in Human Investigation, designed to meet the growing need for clinical investigators.

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Richmond, VA
Director: Mark Baron, MD  Administrative Officer: Cathy A. McGrady
PADRECC Center, Neurology Service (127) VA Medical Center 1201 Broad Rock Boulevard Richmond, VA 23249	Telephone 804-675-5931 Fax 804-675-5939 WebSite

Research Focus: Please contact site for more details.

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San Francisco, CA
Director: Graham Glass Fellowship Director: William J. Marks, Jr., MD  Administrative Officer: Lorraine Anzaldo
PADRECC, Neurology Service (127) Center for Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders VA Medical Center 4150 Clement Street San Francisco, CA 94121	Telephone 415-750-2100 Fax 415-750-6662 WebSite

Research Focus: Diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders, neuro-imaging, neuromodulation and deep brain stimulation.

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Seattle, WA
Co-Director: Ali Samii, MD  Co-Director: Cyrus P. Zabetian, MD, MS
PADRECC Center, Neurology Service (127) PADRECC Fellowship Co-Directors VA Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 South Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108	Telephone 206-277-3585 Fax 206-277-6167

Research Focus: Please contact site for more details.