Neuromuscular Fellowship Program

About Our Fellowship

The Neuromuscular Fellowship Program at Barrow Neurological Institute offers two ACGME-accredited fellowship positions in neuromuscular medicine.

Our goal is to provide education and training to adeptly evaluate and manage the full spectrum of neuromuscular disorders. Emphasis is placed on the competent and nuanced bedside evaluation of neuromuscular patients, as well as a well-grounded understanding of the armamentarium of clinical tools to pursue further evaluation and treatment.

To this end, patient clinical exposure will be provided by participation in multidisciplinary clinics in ALS as well as the Muscular Dystrophy Association, participation in faculty subspecialty clinics, inpatient neuromuscular medicine consultations, pediatric neuromuscular clinic, and by fellows having their own neuromuscular clinic to provide continuity under their direct management.

Hands-on, one-on-one training is provided to obtain understanding of physiology and pathophysiology of electromyography (EMG) with the goal of stepwise progression towards independent performance and interpretation of EMG. Other techniques that are included as part of training are:

Muscle and skin biopsy
Neuromuscular ultrasound
Autonomic testing

Didactic teaching sessions and EMG conferences throughout the year are also part of neuromuscular fellowship training. Each fellow is required to develop and complete a research project with the assistance of a faculty member. A second year of fellowship to increase clinical exposure and develop longer-term research interests may be available, and is encouraged for physicians interested in an academic career.

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Neuromuscular Faculty

Eligibility

A current valid and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the United States or Canada or its territories
Graduate status from an ACGME-accredited residency program
Board certified, or eligible for certification, in a primary ABMS or RCPSC specialty (as specified by the subspecialty)
Completion of USMLE steps I, II, and III

Foreign medical graduates with equivalent qualifications are also eligible to apply provided the following criteria are met:

Graduate status from an ACGME accredited residency program
Completion of all three of the USMLE examinations
Completion of a CSA exam
ECFMG certificate (if applicable) – Foreign applicants must have ECFMG certification. We only accept J1 Visa; we do not sponsor H1 visa.

We are now accepting applications for the 2023-2024 academic year (one fellow per year).

How to Apply

Application process for all applicants applying to the Barrow Neuromuscular Medicine Fellowship Program:

Apply through AANEM: https://www.aanem.org/Home

The following documents are required of all applicants:

Barrow Application (application will be forwarded to you after you apply through AANEM)
Medical school diploma
Letter of good standing
ECFMG certificate (if applicable)
Prelim Certificate of Completion (if applicable)

Additional required documents obtained through AANEM:

Curriculum vitae
Personal statement
Three letters of recommendation, may include PD letter (waived rights to view/must be sent by letter writer or program coordinator)
Medical school transcript
USMLE/COMLEX results

Program Director

Erik L. Ortega, MD
Associate Professor, Neurology
Medical Director, Department of Neurology
Medical Director, Electroneurodiagnostics Lab (Neuromuscular)
Director, Neuromuscular Fellowship

Program Coordinator

Lisa Clark-Imperial
Fellowship Program Coordinator
Barrow Neurological Institute
350 West Thomas Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85013
BNINeurology@BarrowNeuro.org

Comprehensive Neuromuscular Training

Both fellowships consist of a rotation through a busy general neuromuscular clinic, a weekly MDA clinic, and an EMG lab. Involvement in inpatient neuromuscular consults and EMG is also part of the fellowship program.

A weekly fellowship continuity clinic allows fellows to build experience in the long-term management of a wide spectrum of neuromuscular disorders. Participation in a weekly clinical neuromuscular conference and an EMG conference is mandatory. Experience in the performance and interpretation of nerve and muscle pathology is also required as part of the fellowship.

Didactic teaching sessions throughout the year are also part of the fellowship training. Each fellow is required to develop and complete a research project with the assistance of one of the faculty members. A second year of fellowship that would increase exposure to advanced electrophysiological techniques and develop longer term research interests may be available and is encouraged for physicians interested in an academic career.

We are now accepting applications for the 2022-2023 academic year (One fellow per year).