Movement Disorders Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery Fellowship

Fellowship Description

Movement Disorders team in front of the Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute
Movement Disorders team in front of the Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute

A period of 12 continuous months will be spent in clinical functional neurosurgery training with a primary focus on the development of true expertise in the delivery of deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy. The fellow will also be trained in other aspects of functional neurosurgery (spinal cord stimulation, intrathecal drug delivery pumps, stereotactic radiosurgery, framed and frameless intraoperative stereotactic techniques and epilepsy) to varying degrees according to the expressed interests and goals of the individual fellow. In order to develop a deeper understanding of the disorders typically treated with DBS (Parkinson’s disease, tremors, dystonia), the fellow will participate in movement disorders neurology clinic in addition to neurosurgical clinical activities. The fellow is expected to contribute to academic research activities and publish at least two scientific papers during this fellowship period. He or she will also be expected to participate in the education of residents and students.

Goals & Objectives of the Fellowship

  • To train superlative functional neurosurgeons with true expertise in Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), Parkinson’s disease and other pathologic states amenable to DBS therapy.
  • To prepare young neurosurgeons for successful academic careers in Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery.
  • To propagate a patient-centered, interdisciplinary model for the delivery of health care and the conduct of clinical research.

Functional Neurosurgery Fellow Typical Schedule

Monday

Neurosurgery Clinic

Tuesday AM

Weekly CMDNR Conference, Monthly DBS planning/complications meeting, Weekly mentorship meeting with Dr. Foote

Tuesday PM

Protected academic time

Wednesday

Dr. Foote plans the surgery using the FGATIR scan and brain atlas morphing
Dr. Foote plans the surgery using the FGATIR scan and brain atlas morphing

The fellow will participate in all DBS lead implantation procedures with Dr. Foote (typically three cases each Wednesday) and occasional deep brain target ablation procedures (pallidotomy, thalamotomy, subthalamotomy), where he or she will carry out the following under close supervision:

  • Stereotactic head ring application,
  • Acquisition of stereotactic high resolution CT images for DBS targeting,
  • Fusion of stereotactic CT images to pre-operatively acquired, high resolution, non-stereotactic MR images for DBS targeting,
  • Virtual reality based computer targeting for DBS, including manipulation of a scalable three-dimensional brain atlas to facilitate direct targeting of deep brain structures,
  • All technical aspects of DBS lead implantation,
  • All technical aspects of deep brain lesion generation,
  • Intra-operative microelectrode recording

Thursday

Neurology Clinic every other week (first 3 months, then monthly)
Protected research time every other week (first 3 months, then all but one Thursday per month)

Friday

OR: DBS pulse generator implantations and replacements, other functional neurosurgical procedures including frameless stereotactic craniotomy for tumor resection, stereotactic brain biopsy, stereotactic radiosurgery, spinal cord stimulator implantation, intrathecal drug delivery pump implantation, and epilepsy procedures if the fellow selects this option.

Faculty

Kelly Foote, MD

Functional Neurosurgery (Fellowship Director)
Specialties: Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, deep brain stimulation, brain tumors, radiosurgery, spinal cord stimulation, intrathecal pumps.
foote@neurosurgery.ufl.edu

Justin Hilliard, MD

Functional Neurosurgery
Specialties: Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, deep brain stimulation, brain tumors, radiosurgery, spinal cord stimulation, intrathecal pumps.

Michael Okun, MD

Movement Disorders Neurology (Fellowship Co-Director)
Specialties: deep brain stimulation, research involving non-motor basal ganglia brain features, teaching/mentorship of movement disorders fellows.

Brian Hoh, MD, MBA

Professor and Chairman, Neurosurgery
Specialties: Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, radiosurgery, brain tumors, brain aneurysms.

Steven Roper, MD

Professor of Neurosurgery
Specialties: Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Epilepsy surgery.

Frank Bova, PhD

Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Specialties: Medical physics, image guided neurosurgery and radiosurgery.

Dawn Bowers, PhD

Professor of Neuropsychology
Specialties: Movement disorders, deep brain stimulation, neuropsychology.

Herbert Ward, MD

Professor of Psychiatry
Specialties: Movement disorders, deep brain stimulation, psychiatry.

Alison Kraus, P.T., D.P.T., N.C.S.

Professor of Physical Therapy
Specialties: Movement disorders, deep brain stimulation, physical therapy.

Lisa Warren, MHS, OTR/L

Professor of Occupational Therapy
Specialties: Movement disorders, deep brain stimulation, occupational therapy.

Karen Hegland, Ph.D.

Professor of Speech Pathology and Communication Disorders
Specialties: Movement disorders, deep brain stimulation, speech pathology and communication disorders.