Spinal Cord Injury Fellowship at The Mount Sinai Hospital

The Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Fellowship, part of the Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, is a nationally recognized program and a core component of the Department. The SCI program is the only service of its kind to be accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) in New York City. We are also fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for the Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Fellows in SCI medicine treat a diverse patient population through training at The Mount Sinai Hospital, which includes Mount Sinai Morningside and the James J. Peters VA Medical Center (VAMC). All of the affiliated hospitals are within a 30-minute drive of the main campus. Inter-hospital transportation is provided by regularly scheduled shuttle bus service that operates between The Mount Sinai Hospital and the VAMC.

The Rehabilitation Center at Mount Sinai Morningside includes a 40-bed acute inpatient facility with 20 beds devoted to providing acute rehabilitation services to those with spinal cord injuries as well as those with ventilator-dependent tetraplegia. The unit is staffed by physiatrists with substantial expertise in SCI medicine: Thomas Bryce, MD, Miguel Escalon, MD, Avniel Shetreat-Klein, MD and Andrea Leyton-Mange, MD. In addition to acute inpatient SCI rehabilitation, fellows participate in inpatient consults at Mount Sinai Hospital, continuity clinic, private outpatient SCI care, neurourology conferences, and biweekly neuro ICU acute care rounds. Other rotations throughout the Hospital may be arranged based on the fellow's interest. 

Our program offers an opportunity to work with David Cancel, MD, JD, the Director of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, and an Associate Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Cancel also serves as a ringside physician providing medical coverage for various combat sports in New York State and is a Physician Member of USA Boxing.

The James Peters VA Medical Center (VAMC) provides comprehensive care for veterans with SCI, both on an acute and chronic basis. The 48-bed SCI unit is directed by Dr. Marinella Galea, who is board certified in Internal Medicine and Spinal Cord Medicine. Fellows are exposed to inpatient SCI medicine and additional specialty areas including a wound care clinic, telemedicine, and urologic testing. Fellows also participate in a home visit program for veterans with SCI.

Fellows receive training by rotating through inpatient and outpatient programs at The Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside, and the James Peters VA Medical Center. Fellows are expected to practice within our continuity outpatient clinic, building a panel of outpatients for whom they serve as the primary medical contact. Fellows are also required to complete a scholarly project related to SCI. Practical experience, didactic training, and scholarly work prepare the fellow to sit for the subspecialty examination in SCI medicine administered by The American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation each fall. For the past five years, 100 percent of our fellows have passed the SCIM Specialty Board exam.

Our program includes a weekly journal club, weekly formal SCIM didactics, and weekly formal training on research methodology. Fellows have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of intrathecal pump management for spasticity. Other procedures performed include urodynamics, nerve and muscle blocks with neurotoxins, and diaphragm pacer programming and management. Fellows have the opportunity to participate in our community outreach programs, which includes a swimming program and life challenge activities for SCI patients. Fellows are expected to participate in the education of residents and staff members through formal lectures, informal teaching, and the development of a quality improvement project. Fellows are also expected to participate in research and prepare scholarly work.

All fellows receive a comprehensive benefits package including four weeks of paid vacation, major medical insurance, a free hepatitis B vaccine, prescription plan, dental insurance, life insurance, malpractice insurance, disability insurance, and discounts for recreational activities in New York City.

We ask that all fellows complete a residency training program in either physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, internal medicine, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, neurological surgery, orthopedic surgery, pediatrics, surgery, urology, or plastic surgery. For more information, contact our Senior Residency Program Coordinator at Diosserlys.Polanco@mountsinai.org, and our Residency Program Coordinator at Danellys.Vargas@mountsinai.org.