About Us
The UF Multiple Sclerosis Program is a unique interdisciplinary clinical research organization based on the UF Campus in Gainesville, FL at the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases. Our MS Center was founded on the philosophy that integrated, interdisciplinary care is the most effective approach for patients with MS. The center was created with the purpose of filling a critical vacuum in patient care, research, outreach, and education in Multiple Sclerosis in Florida. The National MS Society estimates that over 20,000 persons with MS live in Florida. Our center offers highly coordinated, competent and accessible care to over 1,500 individuals with MS. Given recent expansion in our faculty members we estimate that our center will be able to provide care to over 3,000 persons with MS in the next 2 years. Due to our strategic location, our center is ideally located to address health disparities in the rural areas of North Florida. In addition to superb clinical care, our patients have access to the latest clinical/translational research studies, as well as the opportunity to contribute to future investigator-initiated research studies. We are currently conducting multiple MS clinical trials and also have basic and translational research collaborations within the medical school.
Meet the Team
Mayra J Montalvo Perero MD
Curriculum
The Core Curriculum is broadly written, and may have applicability at several levels of training. Our fellowship program will provide access to both inpatient and outpatient experiences, within the setting of a dedicated MS clinic or rehabilitation facility, with the presence of a multidisciplinary health care team. This will provide education in the comprehensive management that is central to the care of persons with MS.
Fellowship Overview
The fellowship curriculum is designed to develop expertise in the recognition, diagnosis, treatment, management, and rehabilitation of inpatients and outpatients with Multiple Sclerosis and related immune-mediated disorders of the central nervous system. The fellow will be trained in the clinical, multidisciplinary management of multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunological central nervous system disorders.
Program Goals
This one-year clinical Multiple Sclerosis & Neuroimmunology Fellowship at the University of Florida provides advanced specialist training in the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with multiple sclerosis and related immune-mediated disorders of the central nervous system (CNS).
Multi-Disciplinary Training
The fellow will be rotating 2 half-days weekly with the different specialties involved in our center’s multidisciplinary MS treatment including neurorehabilitation, neuro ophthalmology neuropsychology, neuroradiology, rheumatology, and urology. The fellow will also receive training in botulinum toxin injections for MS-related headaches and spasticity.
Scholarly Activities
See a list of activities, conferences and presentation expectations.
Research
During the fellowship, the fellow will conduct a neurodisparity-focused research project that is built up on the neurodisparity research that is currently being conducted in the 2023-2024 academic year by our EMD Serono I’M IN Neurodisparity Fellows.
Health Inequities
A particular focus of the fellowship curriculum will be education in inequities in the field of MS including difficult access to healthcare and disease-modifying therapy for patients due to their socioeconomic status and ethnic background. In particular, UF’s patient population includes a large number of patients that due to their geographical location and socioeconomic status have only limited access to specialized healthcare.
Maximizing Impact for MS Community
Our fellowship is designed to lead to direct short- and long-term benefits for the MS community. Multiple sclerosis is best treated by fellowship-trained specialists experienced in the comprehensive multidisciplinary management of the disorder. Currently, there are large regions of the United States without access to specialized MS care. Our multiple sclerosis fellowship has great potential to improve the lives of persons with multiple sclerosis.
Outcomes and Evaluations
Fellows meet with the Program Director weekly to receive direct mentorship on clinical skills, writing and publications as well as to update on current projects. Furthermore, fellows will meet with program leadership individually every 3 months for a formal evaluation to discuss performance and provide constructive feedback. At that time, the fellow’s individual progress to reach the defined fellowship goals is evaluated and discussed with the fellow and documented in New Innovations.
STRUCTURE OF THE FELLOWSHIP
Fellows meet with the Director individually for one on one evaluation and feedback once every 3-4 months. There is a formal confidential survey fellows must fill out, as well as a survey to be filled out from each of the faculty on the individual fellow. The surveys and feedback ensure that all areas are covered, fellows obtain a complete experience, and that all critical topics have been taught. Additionally, a major component of the fellowship is teaching how to build his/her own center post-graduation.
Fellows also meet with the Director every week to update clinical research projects, and receive direct mentorship on clinical skills, writing and publications. Fellows present all cases at the weekly MS meetings.
Fellowship Mentorship Committee (fellows meet with each member of the committee at least monthly for mentorship meetings)
Length of Fellowship
One Year (One year funding request)
Fellow’s Status with Accrediting or Approval Bodies
Fellows will be at PGY-5 level. Prior residency training in Neurology will be required to enter into the fellowship, and the fellows must be board-eligible for the ABPN Neurology Board. Potential fellows may either have a permanent Florida Medical License or a temporary graduate medical education permit through the University of Florida. The Department of Neurology will provide independent funding for licensure for all potential fellows.
Fellowship Selection Process
The fellowship is advertised in the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) website fellowship directory, the ACTRIMS Directory of Neuroimmunology Fellowships, on our website http://mdc.mbi.ufl.edu, through emails to neurology residency program directors, and also by word of mouth, and announcement at national and international meetings. The fellowship is part of the Neuroimmunology & Multiple Sclerosis Fellowship SF Match Process sponsored by ACTRIMS. An online application through the SF Match Portal is required. There are additional UF GME requirements including a CV and 3 letters of recommendation. Applicants will be invited to a comprehensive interdisciplinary interview day with UF faculty and different team members of the UF Multiple Sclerosis Program. A final rank list will be created based on the ranks provided by the individual interviewers and entered for the match.
Fellowship Application
Fellowship Program Coordinator
April Raba
Residency/Fellowship Program Assistant
1600 SW Archer Rd Ste N107B
PO Box 100236
Gainesville, FL 32610
Phone: (352) 294-5400
Fax: (352) 733-3051
Email: april.king@neurology.ufl.edu
If you would like to obtain more information on any of our programs, please contact April Raba (Neurology Fellowship Coordinator) at april.king@neurology.ufl.edu.