Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Fellowship
The 12-month ACGME-accredited fellowship in spinal cord injury medicine (SCIM) is offered through the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UT Southwestern Medical Center, in partnership with the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Baylor University Medical Center Dallas and the VA-North Texas Healthcare System. It provides a broad spectrum of clinical scenarios, from acute care to chronic management, focusing on clinical experiences in the prevention, diagnosis and management of spinal cord injury and disorders.
Through rotations at multiple clinical sites, the fellow is exposed to inpatient rehabilitation, hospital consults and outpatient clinics. Within the year, the fellow is expected to complete a scholarly research activity suitable for national publication or presentation. Successful completion of the fellowship program satisfies the eligibility requirement to take the examination for Subspecialty Certification in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine through the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Application Process
- Submit your application
- Submit your supporting documents
- Submit your letter of recommendation
Clinical Rotation Sites
UTSW Medical Center at Dallas (3 months – concurrent with Parkland rotation)
Zale Lipshy and William P. Clements Jr. University Hospitals provide exposure to neurotoxin injection procedures, intrathecal baclofen pump management, wheelchair seating clinic, wound care clinic, urology clinic and urodynamic studies, clinic for pulmonary medicine focusing on neuromuscular disorders, and radiology. Within this rotation, the fellow also spends two weeks at Our Children’s House, a pediatric inpatient rehabilitation facility affiliated with Children’s Health.
- Zale Lipshy University Hospital
- Clements University Hospital
- Children's Health Children's Medical Center Dallas
Parkland Hospital and Health System (3 months - concurrent with UTSW rotation)
At this Level I Trauma Center, the fellow participates in acute hospital consults and in spasticity clinic. Throughout the entire 12 months, the fellow also gains experience in chronic SCI management as he/she follows continuity patients at the weekly Parkland SCI clinic.
VA-North Texas Health Care System Spinal Cord Injury Center (4 months)
The fellow participates in chronic inpatient management of spinal cord injury and complications, acute hospital consults, multiple sclerosis clinic, plastic surgery and neurosurgery clinics. Wheelchair seating evaluations and home visits are other opportunities for learning within the health care system.
Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation (4 months)
The fellow’s curriculum includes acute inpatient management, outpatient clinic, wheelchair seating clinic, spasticity clinic, and exposure to specialized services such as driving evaluation.
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (1 month)
The rotation at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital includes inpatient rounds, and outpatient clinic experience with congenital neuromuscular disorders, spina bifida, spasticity and dystonia management, neurosurgical and orthopedic management of spinal and lower limb conditions, urology clinic and orthotics. For one week of the rotation, the fellow has the opportunity to be a counselor at Spina Bifida Camp.
Sample Curriculum
Twelve-month Overview
| July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May | June |
| UTSW/PHHS | VA-North Texas SCI Center | Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation | UTSW/PHHS | TSRH |
UTSW and PHHS Schedule
UTSW – July 2016
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| A.M. | PHHS Consults/ Radiology | UT Wheelchair Seating Clinic | UT SCI Clinic | PHHS SCI Continuity Clinic | UT Spasticity Clinic |
| P.M. | Scholarly Activity | PHHS Spasticity Clinic | UT Pulmonary Neuromuscular Clinic | UT Wound Care Clinic | UT Urology |
UTSW – August 2016
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| A.M. | PHHS Consults/ UT TBI Clinic | UT Wheelchair Seating Clinic | UT SCI Clinic | PHHS SCI Continuity Clinic | UT Spasticity Clinic |
| P.M. | Scholarly Activity | PHHS Spasticity Clinic | UT Pulmonary Neuromuscular Clinic | UT Wound Care Clinic |
UT Urology |
UTSW - First half of May 2017
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| A.M. | PHHS Consults/ UT TBI Clinic | UT Wheelchair Seating Clinic | UT SCI Clinic | PHHS SCI Continuity Clinic | UT Spasticity Clinic |
| P.M. | Scholarly Activity | PHHS Spasticity Clinic | PHHS Consults | UT Wound Care Clinic |
UT Spasticity Clinic |
UTSW - Second half of May 2017
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| A.M. | Inpatient Acute Pediatric Rehabilitation | PHHS SCI Continuity Clinic | Inpatient Acute Pediatric Rehabilitation |
| P.M. | Inpatient Acute Pediatric Rehabilitation | Inpatient Acute Pediatric Rehabilitation | Inpatient Acute Pediatric Rehabilitation |
VA-North Texas Health Care System schedule
VA – September and October 2016
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| A.M. | Inpatient Rehabilitation | Plastic Surgery Rounds 8 a.m. Neurosurgery Clinic Lectures 11 a.m. Admissions Meeting 12 p.m. |
PHHS SCI Continuity Clinic | Didactics at UTSW |
| P.M. | Inpatient Rehabilitation | Interdisciplinary Team Conf 1 pm | Scholarly Activity | Inpatient Rehabilitation |
VA – November and December 2016
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| A.M. | Multiple Sclerosis Clinic (Neurology, Diagnosis and Therapeutics) | New patient evaluations & follow-up SCI Clinic | Plastic Surgery Rounds 8 a.m. Neurosurgery Clinic Lectures 11 a.m. Admissions Meeting 12 p.m. |
PHHS SCI Continuity Clinic | Didactics at UTSW/SCI Annual Evaluations |
| P.M. | Multiple Sclerosis Clinic (Function, Equipment, SCI Rehab Needs) | Urology Clinic | N/A | Scholarly Activity | Wound Care and SCI Medicine Clinic |
Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation schedule
BIR – January and February 2017
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| A.M. | Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation | Scholarly Activity | Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation | PHHS SCI Continuity Clinic | Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation |
| P.M. | Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation | Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation | Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation | Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation | Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation |
BIR – March and April 2017
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| A.M. | Outpatient SCI Clinic | Outpatient SCI/TBI/ Spasticity Clinic | Outpatient SCI Clinic | PHHS SCI Continuity Clinic | Research/ Scholarly Activity |
| P.M. | Outpatient SCI Clinic | Outpatient SCI/TBI/ Spasticity Clinic | Driving Evaluations/ Wheelchair Seating Clinic | Outpatient SCI/TBI/ Spasticity Clinic | Research/ Scholarly Activity |
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children schedule
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| A.M. | Clinic opportunities for: congenital neuromuscular disorders, spina bifida, spasticity and dystonia management, neurosurgical and orthopedic management of spinal and lower limb conditions, urology clinic and orthotics | PHHS SCI Continuity Clinic | Clinic opportunities |
| P.M. | Clinic opportunities for: congenital neuromuscular disorders, spina bifida, spasticity and dystonia management, neurosurgical and orthopedic management of spinal and lower limb conditions, urology clinic and orthotics | Scholarly Activity | Clinic opportunities |
Faculty
UT Southwestern Medical Center
- Jean de Leon, M.D.
- Fatma Gul, M.D.
- Gary Lemack, M.D.
- Merrine Klakeel, D.O.
- Frank McDonald, M.D.
- Benjamin Nguyen, M.D.
- Anjali Shah, M.D.
- Rajashree Srinivasan, M.D.
- Joseph Viroslav, M.D.
- Jennifer Yang, M.D.
VA-North Texas Health System
- Bridget Bennett, M.D.
- Joseph Carlock, M.D.
- Maria Fides Pacheco, M.D.
- Wei-Han Tan, M.D.
- Manosha Wickremasinghe, M.D.
Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation
- Daun Chung, D.O.
- Simon Driver, Ph.D.
- Rita Hamilton, D.O.
- Sridevi Mukkamala, M.D.
- Seema Sikka, M.D.
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
- Richard Adams, M.D.
- Veronica Meneses, M.D.