Movement Disorders Fellowship | Academic Programs and Training

The Neurology Department at UC Davis is offering a one year fellowship program in Movement Disorders.This fellowship program is designed to equip fellows with the skills necessary to embark on a career in movement disorders, neuromodulation, clinical care, and research. The goal of the fellowship is to provide a complete training experience in the diagnosis, evaluation, and management of the neurological disorders associated with basal ganglia dysfunction that are characterized clinically by disruption of normal movement or the production of involuntary movements. These conditions include: Parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD) and other choreiform disorders, generalized and focal dystonia, tremor, myoclonus, tics, chorea, gait disorders, functional movement disorders, and ataxia.

It is anticipated that fellows completing the program will seek appointments as junior faculty members at an academic medical center in the US, where they will be involved in movement disorders clinical care and participate in and/or develop a program of academic research in the field of movement disorders. However, they will also be well trained to take a position in the community to provide these skills to their patient population.  

The fellow will also gain experience in the conduct of clinical trials through faculty membership in the Huntington Study Group and the Parkinson’s Study Group. Education requirements include participation in case conferences, research meetings, journal clubs, lectures, seminars, symposia, and monthly meetings with faculty mentors. 

• Both inpatient and outpatient clinical exposure to a wide variety of movement disorders.
• Movement Disorder clinical and research specialties among clinical faculty include Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ataxia, dystonia, tremor, Atypical Parkinsonisms, and Functional Movement Disorders.
• Use of EMG and ultrasound-guided botulinum toxin injections for dystonia, tremor, spasticity, and other movement disorders.
• A robust Deep Brain Stimulation program, implanting and programming for all three major DBS systems, and for indications including Parkinson’s disease, Essential Tremor, Dystonia, and Tourette’s Syndrome.  
• An HDSA Center of Excellence, Wilson's Disease Center of Excellence, and Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence for family services and research, integrating state-of-the-art multidisciplinary care with leading-edge research.
• A community-based, multi-ethnic cohort recruited from a very large geographical region, primarily Northern California but including patients from Southern California, Nevada, and other states.

• A cohort of approximately 300 patients with Huntington’s disease, 1000 patients with Parkinson’s disease, several hundred patients with essential tremor, 75 patients with deep brain stimulators, several hundred patients with dystonia, and approximately 100 with ataxia.
• A wealth of clinical, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging data available for hypothesis-driven analyses of current interest.
• A wide range of research opportunities, including HD-, PD- and dystonia specific multicenter trials, neurogenetics, and neuropsychology.

This is a clinically-oriented 12-month fellowship with abundant research opportunities. Duties in the year will be approximately 80% clinic-based and 20% elective and/or research-based, with flexibility for the fellow to pursue their specific interests.

Clinical activities include rotating in movement disorders clinic, Huntington’s Disease, Wilson's Disease, and Parkinson’s Disease Multidisciplinary clinics, DBS surgeries and programming, botulinum toxin injections, and the fellow’s own weekly independent movement continuity clinic. There will be no overnight call, required inpatient service, or weekend responsibilities. 

Research time will allow fellows the opportunity to work on an individual mentored research project.

Goals and Objectives

The primary goal of the fellowship program is to enable fellows to develop the professional skills and competencies necessary to practice independently in the area of Movement Disorder neurology. The secondary goal is to enable fellows to attain experience as a Movement Disorders specialist in clinical or basic science research.

Major objectives include the development of expertise in the recognition, diagnosis, treatment, management, and rehabilitation of inpatients and outpatients presenting a broad range of Movement Disorders, through supervised clinical practice and research activities that include exposure to the areas of neurology, neurobiology, and related disciplines as they apply to Movement Disorders.

Scholarly and educational activities will include:

1. Presenting the monthly Movement Disorders Journal Club article (discussing clinical research papers and issues relevant to Movement Disorders) and participate in the monthly “Interesting Cases” discussions. 
2. Present patients being evaluated for DBS surgery and lead discussion of their cases at the weekly DBS Multidisciplinary conference. 
3. Attend the Movement Disorders “Boot Camp” lecture series (with high yield lectures given by movement disorders faculty to the fellow, and the fellow presenting some lectures to the faculty). 
4. The fellow presenting a talk for the Department of Neurology Grand Rounds. 
5. Attendance at annual meeting(s) of the American Academy of Neurology or American Neurological Association Annual Meeting and/or the Movement Disorders Society. 
6. Research Project: Fellows will be encouraged to develop a well-defined research project related to movement disorders and to prepare a poster and paper for the annual neurology meetings. 
7. Regular interaction with and teaching of medical students, neurology residents, and allied health professionals.

In addition to Jon Snider, M.D. other faculty from several disciplines will be involved in the educational opportunities presented by this fellowship. Those with specific expertise in Movement Disorders include:

• Norika Malhado-Chang, M.D.
• Lin Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.
• Sasha Duffy, D.O.
• Kristina Hart, D.O.

Supporting Clinical Faculty with associated specialties in cognitive neurology, neurosurgery, neuroimaging, and psychiatry:

• Charles DeCarli, M.D. - Behavioral neurology and neuroimaging
• Sarah Farias, Ph.D. - Neuropsychology
• Michelle Chan, Ph.D. - Neuropsychology
• Kiarash Shahlaie, M.D., Ph.D. - Neurosurgery
• David Brandman, M.D., Ph.D. - Neurosurgery
• Stephano Chang, M.D., Ph.D. - Neurosurgery
• Laura Sperry, A.N.P.-C. - Nurse Practitioner, DBS Program

Supporting Basic Science and Research Faculty:

• Jan Nolta, Ph.D. - Director, Institute for Regenerative Cures (IRC)
• Kyle Fink, Ph.D. - Neurology and IRC

We offer a one-year fellowship program for Movement Disorders. Qualified candidates will hold an M.D. or D.O. degree from an accredited institution, will have completed a residency in Neurology from a U.S. residency program, and must possess a license from the Medical Board of California or apply for one at least 4 months in advance. Foreign medical graduates will be considered if they have completed a U.S.-based residency program.

Interviews are conducted through the months of May through August.

Candidates seeking a long-term specialty clinical practice in Movement Disorders will be preferred, particularly if they have an interest in research as part of their future career. 

To Apply

The San Francisco Match (SF Match) is used for movement disorders fellowship match services. All applications are submitted through the SF Match. In addition to required SF Match documents, qualified applicants must submit three letters of recommendation, curriculum vitae, and a letter of intent. No paper applications, including CVs, will be accepted. All interviews and social events will be conducted virtually.