Fellowship Program:
Pediatric Rehabilitation Fellowship
The Children's Hospital
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Affiliated with the University of Colorado Denver
The Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation have an opening for a Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Fellow beginning July 1, 2008. One-year and two-year fellowship programs are available. This fellowship is designed to develop advanced skills in the diagnosis and treatment of children with disabilities. Fellows must have completed residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The clinical and didactic experiences are intended to expand their knowledge of disabling pediatric conditions, including cerebral palsy, neural tube defects, neuromuscular disease, pediatric traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, pediatric encephalopathies, inherited disorders, congenital and acquired amputations. Specific duties include:
- Clinical: The fellow is responsible for participating in the care of patients in the inpatient and outpatient setting. This includes performing and documenting a history and physical examination, formulating and executing diagnosis and therapeutic plans, and performing treatment procedures to the level of their training.
- Inpatient Service: The average 10-bed inpatient service includes approximately 110 admissions per year. Common diagnoses are traumatic brain injury, anoxic/ischemic brain injury, encephalitis, brain tumors, and spinal cord injury (many ventilator-dependent quadriplegics). In addition to the above duties, the fellow will coordinate ongoing care with all involved medical personnel and family.
- Inpatient Consultation: The fellow is encouraged to perform all consultations (approximately 200 per year), including many patients in the intensive care unit and special care nursery. The fellow will attend the rounds and conferences pertaining to these patients. He or she will also coordinate implementation of treatment recommendations and transfer to inpatient or outpatient services as appropriate.
- Outpatient Clinic: There are approximately 5,000 outpatient visits per year, and the fellow is involved in as many as possible. In addition to General Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinic, patients are seen in Neuromuscular, Spinal Defects, Pediatric Amputee, Combined Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Seating and Mobility, Assistive Technology, Neuro-Oncology and Hand Clinic. Major diagnoses include cerebral palsy, myelomeningocele, muscular dystrophies and other neuromuscular diseases, acquired and congenital amputations, and those children needing follow-up from their inpatient stays.
- Procedures and Specialized Skills: The fellow is trained in performing phenol intramuscular neurolysis, botulinum toxin injections, pediatric electrodiagnosis, and management of ventilators and intrathecal baclofen pumps. Approximately 2,200 blocks and 75 electrodiagnostic procedures are performed each year. These are performed in the outpatient setting as well as in the operating room.
- Research: The fellow will design, implement, analyze and prepare for publication an original research project during his or her fellowship.
- Training: The fellow will supervise the medical students and residents (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pediatric, Developmental Medicine and Neurology) who rotate through the service. The fellow will contribute formal teaching through inpatient rounds and individualized lectures to the residents.
- Training Site: The Children's Hospital is a 225-bed pediatric hospital that provides primary and tertiary care to children. It is a JCAHO accredited facility as is the Rehabilitation Program. The Rehabilitation program includes inpatient services, outpatient services, physical/occupational and speech therapy, pediatric neuropsychology and social work services.
Interested candidates should send a CV (curriculum vitae) and three letters of recommendation to:
Pamela Wilson, MD
Director of Resident/Fellowship Training,
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Children's Hospital
1056 East 19th Avenue, B285
Denver, Colorado, 80218
Phone: 720-777-3907
Fax: 720-777-7297
Email: Wilson.Pamela@tchden.org
Click here for the Pediatric Rehabilitation Fellowship Brochure PDF
Fellowship Faculty
Dennis Matthews, MD
| Title | Chair and Professor Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation University of Colorado Denver, Medical Director and Chair Department of Rehabilitation Medicine The Children's Hospital |
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| Medical School | University of Colorado School of Medicine | |
| Residency | University of Minnesota | Board Certification | Pediatrics Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation |
Susan Apkon, MD
| Title | Associate Professor Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation University of Colorado Denver, Attending Physician Department of Rehabilitation Medicine The Children's Hospital |
 |
| Medical School | University of Vermont | |
| Residency | University of Colorado School of Medicine | |
| Board Certification | Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Pediatrics |
Joyce Oleszek, MD
| Title | Assistant Professor Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation University of Colorado Denver, Attending Physician Department of Rehabilitation Medicine The Children's Hospital |
 |
| Medical School | Wayne State University, School of Medicine | |
| Residency | University of Colorado School of Medicine | |
| Fellowship | The Children's Hospital | |
| Board Certification | Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation |
Pamela Wilson, MD
| Title | Associate Professor Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation University of Colorado Denver, Attending Physician Department of Rehabilitation Medicine The Children's Hospital |
 |
| Medical School | University of Colorado School of Medicine | |
| Residency | University of Colorado School of Medicine | |
| Board Certification | Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Pediatrics |