Sports Neurotrauma Fellowship

The Robert and Ellen Yates Sports Neurotrauma Fellowship is a one to two year program that involves intensive clinical and research training in the fields of sports neurotrauma and traumatic brain injury, or TBI.  The fellow will work closely with the UF Health Trauma, Concussion, and Sports Neurology, or TRACS, Program and affiliated professionals.  This fellowship will focus on the diagnosis and treatment of TBI, with emphasis on teen and adult sports concussions and includes exposure to TBI in outpatient settings.  UF is a unique environment, which offers training in an elite NCAA Division I athletic program at a top-tier public university with a Level 1 trauma center.  Interested fellows may also tailor the program to meet the requirements of the ABMS brain injury medicine examination.  As sports neurology or team neurologist certifications evolve, candidates will be offered the opportunity to pursue such certifications.

 

Core Training

Fellows will receive broad clinical training, encompassing outpatient diagnosis and treatment of concussion and post-concussive symptoms, preseason baseline testing, sideline neurological evaluation, peripheral neurology due to sports injury; and will receive training on the interface of neurological disorders and sport activities as well as experience with the severe TBI.

 

Rotations will include:

  • Multidisciplinary sub-acute concussion clinic
    • Sub-rotations include physical therapy and occupational therapy and neuropsychology
  • Persistent symptoms clinic
  • Long-term cognitive sequelae clinic
  • Pediatric concussion clinic
  • Sports medicine/student health concussion clinic
  • Physical medicine and rehabilitation high school concussion clinic
  • Sports medicine clinic
  • Emergency room rotation for focusing on concussion and TBI issues and acute sports injury issues
  • Medical sub-specialty sports specialists (e.g. sports cardiology)

 

Specialized Skills will include:

  • Neurotrauma/concussion specific aspects of neurological and physical examination
  • Expertise in understanding appropriate interpretation and limitations of computer-based cognitive testing
  • Acute management (sideline and ER experiences)
  • Understanding the therapies and roles that can be incorporated into a recovery plan
  • Understanding the components and contributions of a multidisciplinary team to include athletic trainers, neuropsychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, nutrition

Opportunities for additional skill acquisitions to include:

  • Certification in advanced trauma and life support
  • Training in botulinum toxin for headaches, if desired
  • Sideline experience
  • Opportunities to work with team neurologists for UF and Santa Fe College
  • Opportunities to participate in the evaluation of the current programs in place with UF Health TRACS for evaluation
  • Retired NFL player clinical program
  • Possible transcranial Doppler analysis and possible evaluation of autonomic parameters

Didactics/meetings include:

  • Sports concussion group
  • Department of Defense/National Collegiate Athletic Association grand alliance meetings
  • Appropriate lab meetings
  • Appropriate neurointensive care didactics
  • Neurology grand rounds
  • Neuotrauma research collaboration meetings
  • Neurotrauma Journal Clubs

Additional Activities (as they occur):

  • Neurological and neurocognitive baseline testing sessions with high schools and collegiate teams – depending upon sport and institution
  • Florida State Athletic Commission public meetings
  • Relevant presentations at McKnight Brain Institute at UF and UF Health
  • Optional certificate as a neurologist team doctor

In addition, fellows will be expected to:

  • Participate in at least one clinical or basic science research project within the UF Health and TRACS program
  • Submit at least one case report or review article and one original publication (Please note – dedicated research time is built into all years of the training program regardless of one or two years.)

The UF Health TRACS Program is a multidisciplinary program aimed at providing world-class concussion management, treatment programs and research.  We have relationships with various professional collegiate athletic programs and high school programs.

 

Requirements:

Applicants must have completed a residency in child or adult neurology by the start of the fellowship and must be eligible for a license to practice medicine in the state of Florida (board-eligible).

How to Apply:

To apply, please send the following materials to April Raba, TRACS fellowship coordinator at april.king@neurology.ufl.edu

  1. Fellowship Application
  2. Current curriculum-vitae
  3. Personal statement, describing your professional interests and plans
  4. Letters of reference from three faculty members (one should be from the program director)