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Department of Neurology

Houston, Texas

BCM neurologists see patients through the Baylor Clinic and some of the world's leading specialty clinics.
Department of Neurology
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Movement Disorders Fellowship Training Program

Mission Statement

The primary missions for The Parkinson’s Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic (PDCMDC), headed by Joseph Jankovic, M.D., Professor of Neurology, are: 1. to provide the most professional and compassionate care for patients with Parkinson’s disease, other neurodegenerative disorders, and movement disorders, such as tremor, dystonia, Tourette’s syndrome, Huntington’s disease, restless legs syndrome, ataxia and spasticity; 2. to initiate and conduct clinical and basic research which upholds the highest scientific standards, and 3. to train physicians to become skilled in the recognition and treatment of movement disorders and to inspire them to pursue basic or clinical research in the area of movement and neurodegenerative disorders. The PDCMDC also provides a setting for clinical research and a 2-year fellowship program, which focuses on the recognition, pathophysiology and treatment of movement disorders, including development of skills in botulinum toxin injections and deep brain stimulation.

Texas Medical CenterTexas Medical Center

We are located in Baylor College of Medicine’s Department of Neurology, at 6550 Fannin, Suite 1801, Houston, TX 77030. The Smith Tower is a major outpatient care facility jointly owned by Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital, and is conveniently located within the Texas Medical Center. In our center we have eight offices (100 sq ft each), a movement disorder laboratory (810 sq ft), and secretarial cubical areas (390 sq ft), which are currently occupied by personnel who are engaged in the HD clinic. We also have an 800 sq ft Experimental Therapeutics Center, which houses our nurse manager and social worker. Our actual clinic space consists of 19 examination rooms (100 sq ft each), one procedure room (300 sq ft) two nurse’s stations (336 sq ft each) and a reception/waiting area (1620 sq ft).

Overview

The Movement Disorders Fellowship Training Program (MDFTP), founded by Dr. Joseph Jankovic in 1977 at Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas, is an integral part of the Parkinson's Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic (PDCMDC). The focus of research at the PDCMDC has been on clinical, epidemiologic, and genetic studies designed to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of the various movement disorders. In addition, experimental therapeutics and surgical treatment of movement disorders have been among the most important areas of investigation. The fellows obtain training in the diagnosis and treatment of a large variety of hypokinetic and hyperkinetic movement disorders. The trainees also develop skills in the administration of botulinum toxin injections. In addition, the fellows evaluate and follow patients selected for various neurosurgical interventions.

The fellows have an easy, direct, and frequent access to the PDCMDC faculty (Drs. Jankovic, Ondo, Shahed) and other clinical and basic science researchers and collaborators. By developing and pursuing mentor-guided projects, adhering to the Good Clinical Practice (GCP) standards, they acquire knowledge about study design, conduct of clinical trials, data collection and analysis, and scientific writing. The fellows prepare weekly video rounds and monthly journal clubs. They are encouraged to critically evaluate literature and present their findings at lectures, by scientific articles, and other scientific and educational conferences. They are also encouraged to become involved in new and ongoing clinical research trials and other PDCMDC studies in experimental therapeutics, pharmacology, physiology, epidemiology, and genetics of disorders of movement and motor control. Fellows are encouraged to present abstracts at various national and international meetings and to be the first authors on publications in peer-reviewed journals. Fellows are also invited to the summer annual comprehensive course on movement disorders in Aspen, Colorado (http://ColumbiaCME.org).

The MDFTP has been certified by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners as a 2-year clinical fellowship program. Applicants must have completed a residency in neurology. Interested candidates are requested to submit their curriculum vitae and a personal statement explaining why they are interested in movement disorders. In addition, they are asked to submit letters from at least three individuals who know them well and who can describe the candidate as a person, a physician, and as a potential clinical or basic science investigator. All foreign graduates are requested to provide all necessary documentation to be in full compliance with the current requirements and regulations of Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners. Candidates should forward the requested materials to:

Joseph Jankovic, M.D.
Department of Neurology
Baylor College of Medicine
6550 Fannin, Suite 1801
Houston, Texas 77030
Fax: 713-798-6808
e-mail: josephj@bcm.edu

Goals and Objectives

PDCMDC staffYears 1 and 2

  • To become experienced in the clinical recognition of various disorders of movement, including Parkinson disease and related neurodegenerative disorders, Huntington disease, Tourette's syndrome, tremors, chorea, athetosis, dystonia, ballism, myoclonus, tics, spasticity, rigidity, restless legs syndrome, and other motor disorders.
  • To evaluate primarily new patients in the clinic and in the hospital and provide follow-up information to referring physicians, describing our findings and therapeutic recommendations.
  • To gain an understanding of the biochemical, pharmacologic, genetic, and physiologic mechanisms of the various movement disorders.
  • To learn about therapeutic approaches used to alleviate these disorders, including developing skills in botulinum toxin injections and programming patients after deep brain stimulation surgery.
  • To acquire basic skills in clinical research techniques and in designing drug trials and experimental therapies of movement disorders.
  • To prepare protocols, collect and analyze data from clinical trials, and to critically review the pertinent literature.
  • To become familiar with various clinical rating scales and videotape protocols.
  • To develop and manage a computer database for various movement disorders and research projects.
  • To participate in ongoing clinical research projects conducted in the Movement Disorders Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine.
  • To review literature, participate in, conduct, and prepare educational material (e.g. videotapes), for video rounds, movement disorder conferences, journal clubs and other educational activities.
  • To prepare abstracts and scientific papers and to present research data at scientific meetings.
  • To prepare research grant proposals for possible funding by NIH and other granting agencies and foundations.
  • To analyze, summarize, and critique published articles.
  • To work with the Movement Disorder Nurse Coordinators and other research staff in facilitating various research studies.
  • To videotape patients and participate in specimen collections (CSF, blood, urine).
  • To evaluate patients on the consultation service.
  • To perform pre-operative and post-operative assessments on patients undergoing surgical interventions.

Year 3

During the third (optional) year, the fellow may continue the training as a clinical fellow or he/she may elect to participate in basic research and acquire skills in various laboratory techniques necessary for the study of biologic, genetic, and biochemical mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders.