Welcome to the Fellowship Program at the University of Miami's Division of Movement Disorders, located in the vibrant city of Miami—a gateway to diverse cultures and a hub of medical innovation. Our program offers a unique opportunity to train in a dynamic, multicultural environment, treating a wide range of movement disorders among a diverse patient population from South Florida, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Our fellowship is designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders in neurology, providing comprehensive training in both clinical and research aspects of movement disorders. Fellows gain hands-on experience through extensive clinical rotations at our state-of-the-art facilities, engage in cutting-edge research, and participate in interdisciplinary teams that include neurologists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, and other healthcare professionals.

The program not only prepares fellows for careers as leaders in the field but also situates them in one of the most dynamic cities in the U.S., known for its beautiful weather, diverse communities, and rich cultural offerings. We invite candidates to join a program that not only advances their expertise in movement disorders but also situates them in a city full of life and opportunities.

Contacts

Program Directors:

‍Corneliu Luca, MD, PhD & Danielle Shpiner, MD‍

Program Manager:

‍Andrea Ruiz‍ | 305-243-2742 , ARuiz2@med.miami.edu

The University of Miami offers a 1 or 2-year fellowship program that aims to provide fellows a broad exposure to the diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of movement disorders. The program aims to train fellows in the diagnosis and treatment of common and rare movement disorders, botulinum toxin injections, deep brain stimulation patient selection, interoperative assessment, and post-operative programming, and interdisciplinary management of complex movement disorders. Fellows also gain experience in conducting movement disorders research and clinical trials.

The University of Miami is a tertiary referral center that serves a diverse population from South Florida, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. We currently hold designations as an American Parkinson's Disease Association Information and Referral Center, CurePSP Center of Care, HDSA Huntington Disease Center of Excellence, Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence, and Tourette Association of America’s Center of Excellence.

The fellows will have the opportunity to rotate in multiple clinics and participate in clinical research. The first year is dedicated primarily to clinical training (80%), with the remainder of the time protected for scholarly activity and research, (20%). The second year provides additional time for research and can be tailored based on the fellow’s interest (50% clinical time, 50% research).

Clinical Activities

The regular fellow schedule includes:

• General Movement Disorders clinics with our board-certified neurologists Dr. Ihtsham Haq, Dr. Carlos Singer, Dr. Henry Moore, Dr. Corneliu Luca, Dr. Jason Margolesky, and Dr. Danielle Shpiner
• Botulinum toxin clinics
• Parkinson’s Interdisciplinary Clinic
• Huntington’s Disease Interdisciplinary Clinic
• Functional Movement Disorders Interdisciplinary Clinic
• Deep Brain Stimulation Clinics
• Residents’ clinic at Jackson Memorial Hospital (General Movement Disorders and Botulinum toxin injections)
• DBS Surgical Cases (interoperative electrophysiological recordings)
  

Additional electives:

• Lewy Body Dementia clinic with Dr. James Galvin (Cognitive Division, Department of Neurology)
• Tourette’s clinic with Dr. Barbara Coffey (Department of Psychiatry)
  

In addition to the clinical time, fellows participate in the following regular academic activities:

• Neurology Grand Rounds (biweekly)
• Video Case Conference (biweekly)
• Interdisciplinary DBS Conference (biweekly)
• Movement Disorders Division Research Meeting (biweekly)
• Journal Club (monthly)
• Fellow Research Conference (monthly)

Research

During the first year, fellows will develop their own clinical research projects. They will also have the opportunity to participate in our faculty investigator-initiated studies with one-on-one mentorship, and to participate in ongoing clinical trials as sub-investigators.

The fellows are supported with an academic stipend which can be used for conference travel. They are expected to present their research at American Academy of Neurology and International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society annual conferences. The Division also supports fellow participation in the Aspen Movement Disorder Course during the first year.

Fellows are also encouraged to participate in community educational activities for patients with movement disorders.

Application Process

The University of Miami participates in the Movement Disorders Fellowship (MODIF) Match Network conducted by SFMatch. To register, visit SFMatch. SFMatch registration for applicants opens in March and the Movement Disorders match occurs in September.