Neurology Fellowship Program

Program Mission

The Tampa General Hospital Neurologic Occupational Therapy Fellowship Program provides occupational therapists with advanced clinical training in the evaluation and treatment of individuals with neurological conditions. The program emphasizes evidence-based practice, advanced clinical reasoning, and occupation-centered care across neurologic rehabilitation settings. Fellows develop specialized skills to support individuals with functional limitations across the continuum of care, with focused training in inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient neurologic practice. Through mentorship, clinical practice, and professional development, the program prepares fellows to assume leadership roles and contribute to high-quality neurologic occupational therapy services.

Program Overview

Goals and Objectives

Prepare fellows for advanced-level occupational therapy practice with individuals with complex neurological diagnoses across the continuum of care.
Foster clinical decision-making grounded in scientific evidence, occupational therapy theory, and patient-centered practice.
Prepare fellows to function as advanced practitioners, leaders, consultants, and contributors within neurological rehabilitation systems.
Enhance organizational excellence by developing occupational therapists with advanced neurological expertise.
Encourage fellows to contribute to professional education, knowledge dissemination, and community outreach.
Foster professional behaviors that support optimal patient outcomes and collaborative healthcare delivery.
Tailor fellowship experiences to each fellow’s learning needs while promoting scholarly and professional contributions.

Curriculum:

The Neurologic Fellowship Program is a 13-month, 56-week program consisting of the following learning modules. Please note that each fellow will spend six months in each setting, with one fellow starting in outpatient rehabilitation and one fellow starting in inpatient rehabilitation.

Tampa General Hospital new team member orientation – 1 week
Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation – 25 weeks
- Spinal Cord Injury – 8-9 weeks 
- Cerebral Vascular Accident – 8-9 weeks 
- Acquired and Traumatic Brain Injury – 8-9 weeks 
Outpatient Rehabilitation – 25 weeks
- Neurologic focused (FNDS, MS, ALS, Parkinson’s/LSVT) Hand/Burn – 4 weeks 
- Cross-Setting Immersion/Community Involvement – 4 weeks 
- Cerebral Vascular Accident – 6-8 weeks with Vivistim exposure
- Spinal Cord Injury – 6-8 weeks
- Acquired and Traumatic Brain Injury – 6-8 weeks
Choose your own adventure – 4 weeks
- Return to a setting of your choosing
- Acute care hospital setting in Neuroscience ICU and step-down floors
- …or more
Project Completion, Final Presentations, Program Evaluations, and Assessment – 1 week

Additional learning opportunities include participation in Wheelchair Seating and Mobility Clinics, Assistive Technology Services, and interdisciplinary rehabilitation programs focused on functional recovery and community reintegration.

Breakdown of teaching hours during the 50 weeks of education (excluding the orientation week, Choose Your Own Adventure weeks, and final/wrap-up week):

Clinical Practice
- Approximately 28 hours of clinical practice per week (1,400 total hours)
Didactic learning
- Approximately 4 hours of didactic education weekly (200 total hours)
Mentored Service Delivery:
- Approximately 8 hours per week to include direct one-on-one meetings and training with mentors (400 total hours)
- Mentored service delivery will include direct one-on-one meetings with mentors, case studies, self-initiated research with mentor review, journal clubs, interdisciplinary rounding, and other educational components to enhance the fellow’s learning.

Hours

Most on-site fellowship activities occur Monday through Friday between 8 AM and 7 PM. The fellow’s work schedule will be flexible and allow for patient care, training, mentoring, study time and preparation. Schedules are coordinated by the fellowship program coordinatorwill not exceed 40 hours per week of direct program participation. Additional personal study time will be required.

Weekend/Holiday Requirements

While completing the inpatient rehabilitation rotation, the fellow will be responsible for working every fifth weekend, with designated days off during the week prior to and the week following the scheduled weekend. The fellow will also be responsible for working one holiday, with designated days off before and after the scheduled holiday. There are no weekend or holiday requirements during the outpatient rehabilitation rotation.

Accreditation Information

The Tampa General Hospital Neurologic Occupational Therapy Fellowship Program has applied for candidacy with the American Occupational Therapy Association. The program will begin accepting fellowship applicants once candidacy is granted.