The Movement Disorders Fellowship is a two-year, full funded, mixed clinical and scholarly program. Our well-rounded program with close ties to other clinical departments and programs throughout Yale New Haven Health provides ample opportunities for exposure to the full spectrum of movement disorders, including Parkinson disease (PD), essential trumor, and dystonia, and is tailored to fellows’ career goals and interests.
Fellows have access to clear expectations, clinical milestones, assessment procedures, and resources in a comprehensive Fellows’ Handbook that is updated annually.
The future of our program is bright, as we expect to recruit additional faculty with varied interests and expertise and establish partnerships with an ever-expanding group of allied health professionals in areas such as social work, rehabilitation, and more.
Clinical Core
In the clinical core, fellows typically devote approximately 40-60% of their time (i.e., four to six half-days per week) in both years to outpatient clinics. This unique schedule allows for continuity of care of patients across both years of fellowship, as well as for greater longitudinal time for scholarly work. More or less clinical time may be negotiated depending on the scholarly and clinical interests of a given fellow, at the discretion of the program leadership.
Our faculty have expertise in the full breadth of movement disorders, including common and rare presentations and procedures. Our trainees work with many faculty over their two-year training, gaining exposure to a broad range of styles so that they can sharpen their diagnosis, management, and clinical reasoning skills while honing their own personal approaches to patient care. Areas of movement disorders faculty expertise include:
Chemodenervation
Advanced therapies (deep brain stimulation, enteral and subcutaneous levodopa administration, focused ultrasound and thalamotomy)
Neurophysiology
Parkinson disease
Wilson’s disease
Huntington’s disease
Restless Legs Syndrome
Ataxia
Cognitive dysfunction in movement disorders
Fellows attend fellows’ clinics – designed to provide extra time for fellows to evaluate and learn from each patient – multidisciplinary clinics, deep brain stimulation clinics, and chemodenervation clinics.
In addition to these activities in the outpatient setting, fellows work with the faculty in the inpatient setting, evaluating hospitalized patients who require movement disorders expertise. Interested fellows may rotate through a number of unique clinical settings, including clinics in:
Pediatric movement disorders
Autonomic disorders
Neuro-ophthalmology
Sleep neurology
Wilson’s disease
Otolaryngology
Neuropsychology
Neurogenetics
We work closely with the Neurosurgery Department to offer deep brain stimulation, focused ultrasound, stereotactic radioablation, and other functional neurosurgical procedures to our patients. Fellows participate in monthly multidisciplinary meetings to discuss patient eligibility and are expected to observe and participate in the operating room during their training where they can learn MER recording from world leaders.
Other clinical resources include excellent and dedicated nursing and support staff who assist with patient phone calls, paperwork, prior authorizations, patient education, distribution of resources for patients, etc.
Aside from learning through direct patient care, the fellows participate in regular movement disorder video rounds, both locally and regionally. Videotaped examinations provide the centerpiece for clinical and academic discussions during the sessions and often provide the seed for clinical research projects. Fellows are provided education in didactics, workshops, and small group sessions in movement disorders from our faculty, are encouraged to attend relevant external conferences, lectures, and workshops, and are provided with many resources (e.g. podcasts, reading lists, modules, lecture series, etc.) to broaden their clinical acumen. All fellows meet weekly for an informal “check-in” to discuss cases, literature reviews, pathophysiological questions, and more.
The Movement Disorders Division encourages holistic care of all patients through the Comprehensive Care Center and supportive care programs designed to empower patients to take ownership of their disease. Fellows are expected to engage with their community during their training. Fellows have done so through organizing and speaking at patient-facing symposia and support groups, attending walks and fundraisers, joining advocacy initiatives, engaging directly with media outlets, and attending, participating in, or leading offerings such as music therapy, dance for PD, tango lessons, meditative coaching, and more.
Research Core
Fellows typically have 40-60% available time (i.e., four to six half-days per week) both years to develop their scholarly projects. As with the clinical time, this may be adjusted depending on the goals of an individual fellow and at the discretion of program leadership. The two-year structure allows for longitudinal engagement in scholarly work.
Program leadership is passionate about connecting fellows with relevant mentors to foster meaningful scholarly careers based on fellows’ strengths, skills, and aspirations. All fellows are expected during their two years of training to present one or more abstracts at national or international meetings and to write at least one scholarly paper. This might take the form of a case report, case series, original research paper, book chapter or review article.
Through their interactions with our faculty, fellows who are interested in clinical research careers will be exposed to and develop expertise in all aspects of clinical research. Given our faculty’s diverse clinical research interests, including genomics and precision medicine, neuroimaging, biofeedback, Parkinson’s disease and REM sleep behavior disorder, and more, fellows will receive expert guidance as they sharpen their skills in project development, IRB submission, recruitment and data collection, development of manuscripts and presentation and grant writing.
Future fellows who are interested in intensive basic science or translational research have multiple opportunities within the Movement Disorders Division, Department of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience , and Department of Neurosurgery (among other departments) to engage with PIs who have clear track records of impactful research. Fellows on this path may dedicate up to 80% of their time during their fellowship on research endeavors and receive first-rate mentorship on project development, grant writing, and leading and publishing cutting-edge manuscripts . Interested applicants should review faculty and lab bios to identify potential partnerships based on their interests and reach out directly to the program at the time of application submission.
We support and encourage scholarly work outside of clinical or basic science research. There are abundant opportunities in medical education, including a Masters in Health Science (MHS) with a focus on medical education through the Center for Medical Education. Other MHS pathways in clinical investigation, clinical informatics, and more are offered through Yale School of Medicine (YSM). YSM has close partnerships with the Yale School of Public Health, the Yale School of Management, and other allied schools, and the Department of Neurology has multiple connections in global health. Fellows are encouraged to specify their scholarly interests in their personal statements so that we may provide them with a range of opportunities.
Fellows meet semi-annually with the program director to discuss their scholarly goals, opportunities, and involvement. Fellows are assigned a longitudinal research mentor who meets with them quarterly to review progress and opportunities to optimize productivity and career development. Fellows also have close relationships with division leadership to optimize their career potential and mentorship.
How to Apply
Yale is a member of a consortium of movement disorders fellowship training programs in which a matching plan is utilized. This is the San Francisco Match for Movement Disorders. In order to apply to our fellowship, applicants should register and submit their application through the San Francisco match website. The application should include the following documents:
A personal statement explaining the candidate's interest in movement disorders and his/her future career goals, including scholarly interests
Curriculum vitae
Three letters of recommendation, addressed to Fellowship Director Sara Schaefer, MD, MHS, with one letter addressed from the candidate's residency program director.
Applications should be submitted during the PGY3 year, and applicants must have successfully completed their neurology residency program before entering the Yale fellowship program. After the application process, selected candidates will be scheduled for an interview. Interviews take place from June of PGY3 through August of PGY4 (i.e. approximately 11-13 months before starting the fellowship). We welcome applications from future fellows on visas.
Associate Professor; Clinical Chief of Movement Disorders, Neurology ; Director , Comprehensive Parkinson Disease Program
Veronica Santini, MD distinguishes herself as able to manage the most complex patients with a particular specialization in the multidisciplinary care of Huntington disease and ataxia patients, and in autonomic dysfunction in movement disorders, including multiple system atrophy. Prior to joining the faculty at Yale, she directed the Stanford Multidisciplinary Huntington Disease and Genetic Ataxia Clinic, an HDSA Center of Excellence, where she oversaw a large and dedicated team of specialists providing truly holistic, patient-centered care. Under her leadership, the clinic received and maintained the prestigious designation as a Huntington Disease Society of America, Center of Excellence since 2015. With a similar multidisciplinary approach, Dr. Santini provided movement disorders patients with innovative therapies, such as initiation of the Stanford Parkinson Disease Duopa...
Stephen and Denise Adams Professor of Neurology & Director of the Stephen & Denise Adams Center for Parkinson’s Disease Research and Professor of Genetics and of Neuroscience
Clemens Scherzer, M.D. is a physician-scientist and the Stephen & Denise Adams Professor of Neurology at Yale School of Medicine. He heads the Stephen & Denise Adams Center for Parkinson’s Disease Research of Yale School of Medicine, an inter-departmental incubator of precision medicine. In his clinical practice he serves as Academic Chief of the Division of Movement Disorders and directs the Yale Harvard Biomarkers Study (YHBS), with 3,000 participants one of the largest longitudinal biobanks for Parkinson's in the world. Scherzer is a pioneer in precision neurology using massive data streams from genomes, transcriptomes, and longitudinal cohorts to predict and prevent progression of Parkinson’s disease. His research has led to the discovery of genetic drivers (e.g. types of GBA mutations in 10% of patients; Annals of Neurology, 2016; Lancet Neurology, 2017), biomarkers, and...
Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Neurology) and Neurology; Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Cellular & Molecular Physiology; Director, Pediatric Movement Disorders Clinic, Pediatrics
Dr. Bamford is an Associate Professor in Pediatrics and Neurology. He attended medical school at the University of Utah and completed his residency at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical; Center, receiving specific training in general pediatrics and pediatric neurology at the Neurological Institute of New York and Columbia University. He received a professorship at Columbia University and later worked as a physician-scientist at Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington. After spending 13 years in Seattle, he moved to Connecticut in 2015, where he cares for children with neurological disease at Yale University School of Medicine. As Section Chief of Pediatric Neurology, Dr. Bamford oversees a growing and expanding division that is dedicated to serving the children of New England.Dr. Bamford is an NIH-funded physician-scientist who spends time investigating the cause and treatment of...
A 1978 YSM graduate, I am a neurologist/clinical trialist with sub-specialty in Movement Disorders. After 7 years heading the Parkinson and Movement Disorders program at New York-Hospital Cornell, I have spent the majority of his career as an executive in the pharmaceutical industry, leading teams in the areas of neurodegenerative, neuropsychiatric and retinal disorders at Regeneron, Elan, Cytokinetics and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Most recently I led a team at Biogen that advanced 3 new compounds into the clinic for potential treatment of Parkinson’s disease. At Biogen I also established a clinical research program in inherited ataxias. My research activities have encompassed efforts to develop novel clinical outcome measures and biomarkers, including digital health technologies for clinical trials. I have served as chair of the ADNI Private Partner Scientific Board, the Industry Scientific...
Dr. Hawong is a Movement Disorders Neurologist. She treats patients with various movement disorders including Parkinson’s Disease, essential tremor, tic disorders/ Tourette’s syndrome, dystonia, ataxia, chorea, etc. Dr. Hawong also has a strong background the areas of Deep brain stimulation (DBS), MRI-guided focused ultrasound, and botulism toxin injection administration. Dr. Hawong is closely involved in the Yale Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Multidisciplinary Deep Brain Stimulation Clinic. She is very proficient in programming the various platforms of DBS such as Abbot, Boston Scientific, and Medtronic. Dr. Hawong also engages in researching the role of deep brain stimulation in patients with levodopa induced dyskinesia in the setting of Parkinson’s Disease. She is currently involved in AAV-GAD gene therapy for advanced Parkinson’s Disease as well. Dr. Hawong’s interest in...
Associate Professor; Director, Sleep Medicine Laboratory at Connecticut Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Medicine; Director, Yale Center for Restless Legs Syndrome
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (BA, 1995) and Tufts University School of Medicine (MD, 2001), Dr. Koo joined the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine faculty in 2008 and was subsequently recruited to Yale University in 2013. Dr. Koo’s primary clinical and research interest lies at the intersection between neurology and sleep medicine. Dr. Koo is particularly interested in the restless legs syndrome (RLS) and REM sleep behavior disorder and conducts patient-oriented clinical research to determine the underlying pathophysiology of these disorders. Dr. Koo is an international expert in the diagnosis, treatment, and investigation of restless legs syndrome and and treats patients with RLS from across the tri-state area. Currently, Dr. Koo's work focuses on assessing the role of the pro-opiomelanocortin-derived neuropeptides in RLS, and the role of autoimmunity in REM sleep...
Leron is a Physician Assistant in the Functional Neurosurgery and Movement Disorders sections of the departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology, respectively. She sees patients who are considering neuromodulation, in particular deep brain stimulation (DBS), to treat movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor. She works closely with patients throughout the DBS evaluation process and does post-surgical DBS programming, ensuring a holistic and comprehensive approach to patient care. She also sees patients who are considering surgical options for functional pain syndromes such as trigeminal neuralgia.
Dr. Patel is a board-certified Neurologist with subspecialty training in Movement Disorders. He obtained his medical degree from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency in Neurology and served as Chief Resident. He subsequently completed a 2 year fellowship in Movement Disorders at Mount Sinai Hospital. He treats patients with a variety of complex movement disorders, including Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, tics, myoclonus and chorea. He has a particular interest in the use of Deep Brain Stimulation and botulinum toxin in the treatment of movement disorders.
Alice Rusk, MD is a neurologist at the Yale School of Medicine who specializes in movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor and gait disorder.Dr. Rusk strives to give patients as much face-to-face time as possible. “It takes time to understand what each person is going through,” she says. She finds it helpful to have a conversation with patients about treatment options so they will feel comfortable and invested in the plan, which is tailored to each person. “Patients will be treated differently based on the different symptoms they might have,” she says. “And I try to provide as much information as possible, including strategies they can use to manage their condition,” she says.Dr. Rusk’s goal is for patients to feel comfortable enough to ask questions. “I want them to know we’re working as a team.”
Associate Professor of Neurology; Associate Program Director, Neurology Residency, Neurology; Program Director, Movement Disorders Fellowship, Neurology
Dr. Schaefer is a graduate of Brown University and The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and an alumna of the Yale Neurology Residency Program. She completed 2 years of subspecialty training in movement disorders at Yale. She has a particular interest in medical education, and completed a Masters of Health Sciences with a focus on medical education in 2019. She has designed an interactive, video-based online training curriculum in movement disorders for residents and medical students that is used by learners all over the world. She serves as co-founder and deputy editor of the MDS podcast, launched January 2019, founder and producer of Neurology Nuts and Bolts: Constructing your Career podcast, launched February 2022, serves as the Movement Disorders Section Head of the Annual Academy of Neurology Resident In-Service Training Examination (RITE)...
Dr. Tinaz attended medical school at the University of Istanbul Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey. As a clinical research fellow at the Behavioral Neurology and Movement Disorders Division at the Department of Neurology, Istanbul University, she was an associate investigator and member of the clinical team of the first epidemiological study on Alzheimer's disease in Turkey. She expanded her skills to include neuroimaging as a graduate student of the Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory at Boston University. She completed her residency training in Neurology at the Boston University Medical Center. During her fellowship in the Human Motor Control Section at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, she was involved in the clinical evaluation and care of patients with the full spectrum of movement disorders including Parkinson'...
Dr. Vives-Rodriguez is a movement disorders and cognitive-behavioral neurologist at Yale Medicine. She cares for patients with various movement disorders such as tremor, Parkinson’s disease, tics, and dystonia. She also specializes in treating patients with memory and other cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementias. Dr. Vives-Rodriguez grew up and completed her medical and residency training in Costa Rica, graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Costa Rica. She spent time prior to her fellowship as an attending physician in neurology at the Max Peralta Hospital in Cartago, Costa Rica. In 2018, she completed a 2-year subspecialty training in movement disorders at Yale New Haven Hospital. After her fellowship at Yale and motivated by a further understanding of neurodegenerative disorders, she pursued...