Program Training Director: Mark Stacy, M.D., Medical Director, Movement Disorders Center

Goals & Objectives

• To provide training which emphasizes the description, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of various movement disorders including Parkinson's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders, Tremor disorders, Focal and Generalized Dystonia, Huntington's disease and other choreiform disorders, Tourette syndrome, Restless Leg Syndrome, Tardive Dyskinesia, myoclonus, hemiballismus and other rare disorders associated with abnormal movements.
  
  
• To evaluate new patients and provide ongoing care to established patients and discuss therapeutic recommendations and outcomes.
  
  
• To work with our Neurosurgery group in the evaluation and treatment of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS), including patients with Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in patient testing during DBS surgery and will become familiar with programming DBS pulse generators to optimize clinical benefit. Fellows will participate in a monthly DBS conference to discuss candidate patients and avenues to managing patient expectations as well as review prior surgical patients' results.
• To learn about therapeutic approaches used to alleviate movement disorders, including skills in botulinum toxin injections.
  
  
• To participate in ongoing clinical research studies; to gain experience in IRB/regulatory issues related to clinical trials; to assist in protocol review, investigator meetings, contract/budget negotiations, patient enrollment, data collection, monitoring visits, and statistical evaluation.
  
  
• To gain experience with standardized rating scales used in evaluating movement disorders.
  
  
• To evaluate patients on the consultation service.
  
  
• To learn about the benefits of ancillary programs, i.e., Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Social Worker referrals.
  
  
• To develop and complete at least one original clinical research project and to publish these results in abstract form.
  
  
• To investigate the ediology of Parksonism, particularly through studies of gene environment interactions.

While formal Journal Club activities will not be scheduled, each fellow will be expected to maintain current in reading from core Neurology, and Movement Disorders journals. Additionally, fellows will be allowed to act as a referee for journal articles submitted for expert review by Movement Disorders faculty. This will allow for discussion regarding active, peer-reviewed manuscript publication.

Each fellow will be expected to attend weekly Grand Rounds and other educational activity pertinent to Movement Disorders. In addition the fellow will present one Grand Rounds on any chosen topic, or as a summary of a research project.

Evaluation Process / Feedback
The fellow will work directly with Mark Stacy, MD and Burton Scott, PhD, MD. Dr. Stacy and Dr. Scott are Movement Disorders specialists with extensive clinical trials experience. Daily communication will occur between these faculty members and the fellow. Formal evaluation will occur every 6 months during the academic year and will be discussed between the trainee and the program training director.

Length of Prior Training Required before Entering Program

Fellowship applications will be accepted from Board Eligible Neurologists or PGY-4 Neurology Residents in good standing in an American Academy of Neurology.

Length of Program
Each training program will run 12 months consecutively from July 1 to June 30. Applicants may renew for an additional 12 months.

Program Director's Comments
In addition to the direct goals and objectives of this program, the program training director will emphasize the necessity of maintaining the highest ethical standards while interacting with patients, physicians & other health care workers. Fellows will be encouraged to give back to the community and provide ongoing education to patients and their families as well as health care providers.

Contact Information:
Lisa Gauger, B.A.
Program Manager
Lisa.Gauger(at)duke.edu