Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Fellowship

The Baylor College of Medicine Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Program, which offers one fellowship position yearly, is located within the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world, and is funded by a grant from the Craig H Nielson Foundation. The SCI fellowship partners with local hospitals and fellowship programs to provide a collaborative environment that bridges boundaries across institutions and specialties and is committed to providing the highest possible quality of interdisciplinary postgraduate fellowship training.

As part of the training, the Spinal Cord Injury Medicine fellows gain hands-on experience in the clinical management of a wide range of spinal cord injury cases, including acute trauma and neurosurgical management and acute rehabilitation and long-term care. The fellow also has the chance to engage in research related to SCI. Training time is split between the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Memorial Hermann TIRR SCI units.

• A good balance of acute and chronic SCI, VA, private and academic practice, and inpatient and outpatient experience in the settings SCI professionals typically practice.
• Opportunities to learn from more than ten actively practicing, subspecialty‐certified SCI physicians with varied backgrounds and experiences for broad exposure to different practice styles.
• A strong faculty commitment to fellow education, shown by their participation during regular, formal didactics directed at a fellowship level of training.
• Ample opportunity to manage and observe the types of patients and procedures not commonly seen in SCI centers with smaller volumes of patients.

The BCM SCIM fellowship seeks highly motivated candidates interested in an intensive research and quality improvement experience during their clinical fellowship. In addition to the high-quality clinical training, the BCM SCIM fellow will have 20 percent (one full weekday) dedicated to participating in research and quality activities, access to didactics in health services research through the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety and one-on-one mentoring in research methods and career development throughout the year. 

For more information, contact Dr. Felicia Skelton.

Training Sites

Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Located on a 118‐acre campus and built in 1991, MEDVAMC is a state‐of‐the‐art facility that includes a 40‐bed Spinal Cord Injury Center. Many MEDVAMC programs have received national awards and honors, including accreditation from Joint Commission for hospital, long‐term care, and home care.

Research conducted by MEDVAMC staff ensures veterans access to cutting-edge medical and healthcare technology. With over 600 active research projects, the MEDVAMC Research & Development Program is an integral part of the medical center’s mission. It plays a vital role in the health care veterans receive.

Memorial Hermann TIRR

Memorial Hermann TIRR is a freestanding rehabilitation hospital with an SCI Center that is internationally recognized for excellence in clinical care and research.

Texas Children's Hospital

As one of the largest pediatric hospitals in the US, fellow training experiences here include inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation of children with spinal cord injuries and disorders.