Epilepsy Fellowships

Overview

We not only strive to be the best place to receive care, but also the best place to learn to care for people with seizures.

The Cleveland Clinic Epilepsy Center has a legacy of excellence in the treatment of epilepsy but also in training of cutting-edge technological advancements in the field. Cleveland Clinic’s Neurophysiology/Epilepsy Program was one of the very first official training programs in the country, formally established in 1996, but effective for many years prior.

The Cleveland Clinic Epilepsy Fellowships are premier learner-centric programs that provide advanced training in all aspects of epilepsy patient care. Cleveland Clinic is a level 4 epilepsy center with a high volume of epilepsy surgeries and years of experience treating the most complex cases. More than 300 epilepsy surgeries are performed annually in both adult and pediatric patients. In March 2009, Cleveland Clinic launched the first SEEG (stereoelectroencephalography) program in North America for patients with medically intractable focal epilepsy and has continued to be a leader in the field. Surgical experience at Cleveland Clinic includes:

Tailored or multilobar resections.
Standard temporal lobectomy.
Hemispherectomy.
Complex invasive mapping with stereotactically-implanted depth electrodes (sEEG) and/or subdural grids.
Laser ablation.
Responsive and deep brain neurostimulation.

Palliative and investigational surgical treatments for epilepsy are also offered in a highly select group of medically intractable patients.

Purpose

To equip promising physicians with a solid foundation of knowledge, skills, and experience that allows independent high-quality, and compassionate care of people with epilepsy and related disorders.

More Specific Aims

Develop clinically excellent specialists through high-quality and comprehensive training in the diagnosis and management of epilepsy and related conditions through patient-centered clinical experience, intentional and graduated instructional strategies, and in-depth exposure to electroencephalography.
Provide premier training in the surgical management of epilepsy including cutting-edge technologies in presurgical evaluation, surgical treatment, and neuromodulation in addition to exceptional instruction in functional neuroanatomy and brain connectivity to foster future leaders with the knowledge to advance the field.
Nurture intellectual curiosity, innovation, and expertise in the field of epilepsy through unique and robust specialty-specific seminars, case conferences, individual mentorship, and abundant opportunities for high-impact scholarship with decorated faculty.

Our team

Our program has a strong, growing team dedicated to epilepsy care, which currently includes:

Six (6) pediatric & 19 adult epileptologists.
Three (3) epilepsy neurosurgeons.
Colleagues in neuroradiology, neuropsychiatry, psychiatry, neuropsychology, psychology, and bioethics.
Epilepsy-dedicated pharmacists (inpatient and outpatient), advanced practice providers, nurses, EEG technician readers, EEG technologists, and support staff.
Research scientists.

Our team members have a strong presence at the national level with organizations such as the American Epilepsy Society, the American Academy of Neurology, the International League Against Epilepsy, the Child Neurology Society, the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and various editorial boards and scientific program committees. Our faculty frequently contribute to peer-reviewed journals and discipline guidelines, and present at national and international meetings.

Training experience

Training is primarily at our state-of-the-art facilities on Cleveland Clinic’s main campus in Cleveland, Ohio, which houses our expanding twenty-three (23) bed adult epilepsy monitoring unit and a twelve (12) bed pediatric epilepsy monitoring unit. We also help care for patients with concerns for seizures in the dedicated neurocritical care units, medical intensive care units, and neonatal intensive care unit, providing other services as needed for inpatient consultations within the 1400-bed main campus hospital. Our training program offers experience with the newest technologies including:

Ictal single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT).
Positron emission tomography (PET).
Magnetoencephalography (MEG).
Functional and anatomic magnetic resonance imaging (including 7T) and post-processing techniques.
Wada (amytal) testing.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

This is balanced with a sound education in foundational principles of scalp EEG, functional neuroanatomy, semiology analysis, and medical management. Based on interests there are additional opportunities in research, cortical-cortical and other evoked potentials, and intraoperative monitoring.

Epilepsy Center Highlights

Epilepsy Neuroimaging:

SEEG:

MEG:

Epilepsy Surgery and Outcomes:

Critical Care of Epilepsy

Medical Management and Other Interventions

Diversity & Inclusion

Discover the role diversity and inclusion plays at Cleveland Clinic and at its Graduate Medical Education program, as well as our diversity and inclusion efforts.

Learn more

Program Details

Educational Philosophy

We aim for a balance of patient-centered clinical experience, varied and expansive exposure to EEG and other relevant studies, both structured and self-driven instructional strategies, and varied scholarly activities for an exceptional and comprehensive education in the diagnosis and management of adults and children with epilepsy, including medical, surgical, neuromodulatory and investigational treatments.

The strength of the education in our fellowship is the quality and quantity, breadth, and depth of exposure in parallel with the dedicated mentorship and instruction of our expert faculty. Although a clinically busy center, in fellowship we graduate responsibilities to allow our trainees to achieve a balance of efficiency and quality of their work as they grow.

Epilepsy Course

One unique aspect of our curriculum is the initiation with a 12-week intensive course in July, August, and September designed to introduce core topics in EEG interpretation and epilepsy training. During the course, a fellow’s time is dedicated almost exclusively to learning. Towards the end of this course, there is graduated introduction of clinical and call responsibilities. The course has structured education on basic neurophysiology, EEG, epilepsy and seizure classification, digital EEG, neuroimaging, evoked potentials, sleep studies, surgical neuroanatomy, anticonvulsant pharmacology, neuropathology, research skills, and other miscellaneous topics. The last month of the course is centered around hands-on case analysis of adult, pediatric, and invasive EEG monitoring.

Disclaimer: This is a sample schedule only and may not accurately represent the course as the schedule is continuously improved.

Sample course schedule (PDF document).

Rotation Schedule

Following the 3-month course, accredited track (first year) fellows will complete ACGME requirements of 6 months of inpatient/outpatient epilepsy, including at least 3 months of video-EEG monitoring. A pediatric fellow will complete 1 month of adult EEG monitoring. An adult fellow will complete 1 month of pediatric EEG monitoring. Fellows will rotate on the inpatient monitoring units and consult services, with instruction on critical care EEG monitoring. There is one month of elective for self-study in a specialty area of the fellow’s choosing or for research pursuits. There is one month of study in neuropsychology and neuroradiology as it pertains to epilepsy.

Those fellows who decide to continue training in a second, advanced year have flexibility to design their educational / research experience to fit their individual needs under the mentorship of faculty and the fellowship director. Typical focus for the second year is on advanced surgical management, including invasive monitoring cases and / or epilepsy research.

Curriculum

Extensive and rich educational opportunities for our fellows are summarized below.

Interpretation of scalp EEG recording: routine outpatient, ambulatory, inpatient/critical care long term monitoring, and inpatient diagnostic/presurgical epilepsy monitoring unit evaluations.
Clinical and medical management of epilepsy patients in various inpatient and outpatient settings.
Longitudinal clinic in epilepsy under the supervision of epilepsy center staff.
Presurgical investigations including PET, ictal SPECT, MEG, fMRI, Wada.
Surgical management and decision making with multidisciplinary patient management conference (near daily)
Interpretation of invasive monitoring (stereo EEG and subdural grid).
Intraoperative and extra operative brain stimulation.
Critical Care neurophysiology monitoring including inpatient beside video-EEG
Specialty clinic opportunities available with a focus in vagal nerve stimulation, responsive neurostimulation, ketogenic diet, pediatric syndromes (CDLK5, neurocutaneous), women with epilepsy, clinical psychology, and neuropsychiatry.
Neuromodulation therapies (VNS, RNS).
Magnetoencephalography (MEG).
Transcranial magnetic simulation (TMS).
Interpretation of evoked potentials: visual, auditory, somatosensory, cortical-cortical.
Intraoperative monitoring.

Our adult and pediatric epilepsy teams work in tandem within the center allowing comprehensive exposure to both patient populations for all fellows. Pediatric trainees participate in all the educational and academic activities described, however, the majority of clinical, hospital, and video-EEG exposure focused on pediatric patients. For instance, all conferences are combined with adult and pediatric faculty attendance.

Benefits

Review Cleveland Clinic's benefit highlights.

Salary

Review Cleveland Clinic's Salary for Clinical Residents and Fellows. Fellows are paid at a PGY5 level regardless of status.

Moonlighting

Additional moonlighting opportunities are accessible within the epilepsy center, offering a chance to enhance your clinical training and educational objectives while working within the institution. To be eligible for moonlighting, you must obtain approval from the program director, possess a personal DEA license, and hold a permanent medical license for the state of Ohio. It is important to note that J1 visa holders are not permitted to engage in moonlighting activities in accordance with federal law.

Conferences

Neurology Grand Rounds.
Epilepsy Grand Rounds.
Pediatric Epilepsy Grand Rounds.
Epilepsy Presurgical Patient Management Conference.
Invasive Patient Management Conference.
Epilepsy Invasive sEEG Analysis Conference (Juan Bulacio, MD, Andreas Alexopoulos, MD).
Fellows’ Epilepsy Case Conference (Imad Najm, MD).
Fellows’ Pediatric Epilepsy Case Conference.
Neonatal EEG conference.
Evoked Potential case conference.
Epilepsy Journal Club.
Medical Management Antiseizure Medication Case Conference.
Status epilepticus emergent treatment simulation session.

Course/Workshops

Cleveland Clinic Epilepsy Center hosts annual courses to which fellows receive complimentary registration. These vary by year, but examples are linked below.

Research

Opportunities for collaborative research are available at the interest of the fellow. Adult and pediatric trainees, especially those selecting academic clinician or clinician scientist career training tracks are encouraged to participate in clinical or basic research under the direction of primary investigators and encouraged to present their work at national meetings with financial support provided by the institution.
Recent projects collaborated with staff include:

Epilepsy neuroimaging (Irene Wang PhD, Stephen Jones MD, PhD).
Magnetoencephalography (Hiroatsu Murakami MD, PhD, Andreas Alexopoulos MD, MPH, Krishna Galla MD, Richard Burgess MD, PhD).
Epilepsy Outcomes (Lara Jehi MD, MHCDS, Vineet Punia MD, MS).
Stereo-electroencephalography (Juan Bulacio MD).
Signal processing (Balu Krishnan PhD).
Epilepsy Biorepository (Robyn Busch PhD).
Neuropsychology (Kayela Arrota PhD).
Focal cortical dysplasia experimental research (Imad Najm MD, Zhong Ying, MD PhD).
Brain connectivity (Dileep Nair MD, Kenneth Taylor, PhD).
Tuberous sclerosis (Ajay Gupta MD).
Epileptic encephalopathy and neonatal EEG (Elia Pestana Knight MD).
Continuous EEG in critically-ill patients, status epilepticus, acute symptomatic seizure (Stephen Hantus MD, Vineet Punia MD, MS).
Pediatric epilepsy surgery, hemispherectomy (Ahsan Moosa Naduvil MD).
Lifestyle Interventions for Epilepsy (LIFE study) (Elizabeth Spurgeon MD).
Brain Study (Vineet Punia MD, MS, Imad Najm MD, Andre Machado MD, PhD).
Pediatric psychiatric comorbidities (Tatiana Falcone, MD, MPH).
Neuromodulation (Richard Rammo, MD, Dileep Nair MD, Andreas Alexopoulos MD, MPH, Krishna Galla MD).
Epilepsy surgery (William Bingaman, MD, Demitre Serletis MD, Richard Rammo MD).
Sleep and epilepsy (Nancy Foldvary, DO, MS).

Some of our epilepsy center staff are supported by NIH R01 grants and there are institutional infrastructures for research which include large surgical outcomes database, searchable EEG database, and biorepository. Collaboration with other specialties or departments is possible based on a fellow’s specific interests.

Here is a sampling of recent scholarship from our fellows, which is by no means all inclusive. Typically, several fellows present posters on their research at the American Epilepsy Society or other conferences every year.

Normative Quantitative Relaxation Atlases for Characterization of Cortical Regions Using Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting.
Choi JY, Hu S, Su TY, Murakami H, Tang Y, Blümcke I, Najm I, Sakaie K, Jones SE, Griswold M, Wang ZI, Ma D. Cerebral Cortex. 2023 Mar 21;33(7):3562-3574. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhac292. PMID: 35945683.
Technological and computational approaches to detect somatic mosaicism in epilepsy.
Boßelmann CM, Leu C, Lal D. Neurobiol Dis. 2023 Aug;184:106208. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106208. PMID: 37343892.
Epilepsy with eyelid myoclonia in the setting of de novo pathogenic variant in ATP1A3. Epileptic Disord.
Parfyonov M, Ivaniuk A, Parikh S, Pestana-Knight E. 2023 Aug;25(4):545-548. doi: 10.1002/epd2.20086. PMID: 37293976.
Pediatric anti-NMDA-receptor autoimmune encephalitis in siblings: Developmental, Electrophysiologic, and Genetic Implications.
Aboseif A, Toljan K, Mahadeen A, Zeft A, Moosa AN, Pestana-Knight E, Abrams A. J Neuroimmunol. 2023 Jun 15;379:578107. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2023.578107. PMID: 37207440.
Are AI language models such as ChatGPT ready to improve the care of individuals with epilepsy?
Boßelmann CM, Leu C, Lal D. Epilepsia. 2023 May;64(5):1195-1199. doi: 10.1111/epi.17570. PMID: 36869421.
Clinical Significance of Ictal Magnetoencephalography in Patients Undergoing Epilepsy Surgery.
Katagiri M, Wang ZI, Hirfanoglu T, Aldosari MM, Aung T, Wang S, Kobayashi K, Bulacio J, Bingaman W, Najm IM, Alexopoulos AV, Burgess RC. Clinical Neurophysiology. 2023 Jan;145:108-118. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.10.005. PMID: 36443170.
The Black Line Sign in Focal Cortical Dysplasia IIB: a 7T MRI and Electro-clinico-pathological Study.
Tang Y, Blümcke I, Su TY, Choi JY, Krishnan B, Murakami H, Alexopoulos AV, Najm IM, Jones SE, Wang ZI. Neurology. 2022 Aug 9;99(6):e616-e626. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000200702. PMID: 35940890.
Surgical candidates in children with epileptic spasms can be selected without invasive monitoring: A report of 70 cases.
Erdemir G, Pestana-Knight E, Honomichl R, Thompson NR, Lachhwani D, Kotagal P, Wyllie E, Gupta A, Bingaman WE, Moosa ANV. Epilepsy Res. 2021 Oct;176:106731. doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2021.106731. PMID: 34339941.
Risk factors that predict delayed seizure detection on continuous electroencephalogram (cEEG) in a large sample size of critically ill patients.
Zawar I, Briskin I, Hantus S. Epilepsia Open. 2022 Mar;7(1):131-143. doi: 10.1002/epi4.12572. PMID: 34913615.
Electrographic Features of Epilepsy with Eyelid Myoclonia With Photoparoxysmal Responses.
Zawar I, Shreshtha B, Benech D, Burgess RC, Bulacio J, Knight EMP. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2022 Apr 8. doi: 10.1097/WNP.0000000000000942. PMID: 35394968.
Using magnetic resonance fingerprinting to characterize periventricular nodular heterotopias in pharmacoresistant epilepsy.
Choi JY, Krishnan B, Hu S, Martinez D, Tang Y, Wang X, Sakaie K, Jones S, Murakami H, Blümcke I, Najm I, Ma D, Wang ZI. Epilepsia. 2022 May;63(5):1225-1237. doi: 10.1111/epi.17191 PMID: 35343593.
Characterizing the phenotype of drug-resistant childhood epilepsy associated with leukemia: A case series.
Abushanab E, Pestana Knight E, Moosa AN. Epilepsy Behav Rep. 2021 Jan 31;15:100432. doi: 10.1016/j.ebr.2021.100432. PMID: 33898963; PMCID: PMC8053798.
Characterization of Postanoxic Tonic Eyelid Opening: A Poorly Recognized Prognostic Sign.
Alsallom F, Shaker H, Newey C, Hantus S, Punia V. Neurol Clin Pract. 2021 Aug;11(4):e422-e429. doi: 10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000990. PMID: 34484940.
Long-term electro-clinical profile of sudden cardiac arrest survivors
Shaker H, Milan A, Alsallom F, Newey C, Hantus S, Punia V.. Epilepsia Open. 2021 Sep;6(3):559-568. doi: 10.1002/epi4.12516. PMID: 34181820.
Investigation of networks underlying hyperkinetic seizures utilizing ictal SPECT.
Kheder A, Thome U, Aung T, Krishnan B, Alexopoulos A, Wu G, Wang I, Kotagal P. Neurology. 2020 Aug 11;95(6):e637-e642. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000009975. PMID: 32636329.

Clinical Fellowships

The Cleveland Clinic Epilepsy Center offers six (6) ACGME-accredited epilepsy training positions focused either for the adult or pediatric neurologist with a duration of 1 year. Upon completion, each fellow has the opportunity for an additional second year of training, either 1-year in intracranial neurophysiology (non-accredited) or 1-year clinical neurophysiology (ACGME-accredited). The fellow’s decision and commitment to pursue a second year of training need not occur until the mid-point of the first year of epilepsy fellowship, and with the mentorship of our faculty to guide the match of education and career goals.

Epilepsy Fellowship

A total of six positions are offered through the NRMP match, typically one pediatric track and five adult track for the first year of post-residency training. Our fellowship program is accredited by the ACGME and qualifies candidates to sit for the Epilepsy Certification Examination offered by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Eligible trainees include physicians who are:

Board-eligible orboard-certified in neurology and have successfully completed an ACGME-accredited Adult or Pediatric Neurology Residency Program in the United States or RCPSC-accredited Adult or Pediatric Neurology Residency Program in Canada.

Intracranial Neurophysiology Fellowship

This fellowship is non-accredited.

This fellowship is intended for an advanced highly-trained learner, specifically offering more in-depth and more extensive and subspecialized training in complex investigations in intracranial EEG monitoring especially with intracranial stereo-electroencephalopgraphy (sEEG), electrocorticography (ECOG), intraoperative monitoring (IOM), magnetoencephalography (MEG), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), cortical brain mapping, multimodal epilepsy imaging, critical care monitoring, neuromodulation, and experimental treatments, including the most cutting-edge technologies. The experience and training aims to prepare the fellow to comprehensively assess and manage the most complex intractable epilepsy surgery cases, specifically those requiring intracranial monitoring or intracranial implantation for neuromodulation.

The focus of this fellowship is individualized based on a fellow’s interests, leveraging approximately 5 months of elective or dedicated research time. Most of the fellowship is spent focused on intracranial EEG monitoring, intraoperative monitoring, and electrocorticography.

Eligible trainees include physicians who are:

Epilepsy or Clinical Neurophysiology board certified or board eligible (Typically after a first year of accredited training at our Center).
-or-
Exceptional candidates with clearly aligned education / career goals that meet the listed requirements, may also apply (though positions are extremely competitive)

Formal training in neurology, child neurology.
Foundational training in epilepsy, clinical neurophysiology, or the equivalent.
USMLE Steps 1 and 2 (CK & CS).
Candidates requesting an H-1B visa must also have successfully passed USMLE Step 3.
Current valid ECFMG certificate (for international applicants).

Clinical Neurophysiology

Our fellowship program is accredited by the ACGME and qualifies candidates to sit for the Clinical Neurophysiology Board Certification Examination offered by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. This is the EEG and Epilepsy Track with the secondary focus offered in intraoperative monitoring (no secondary focus in EMG or sleep is offered). The availability of this fellowship varies.

Individualized Career Tracks

Fellows are encouraged to align training to their selected career track to optimize opportunity and growth. See more here.

Application Process

Our ACGME accredited Epilepsy fellowship will participate in the NRMP match for the 2025-2026 academic year. We begin accepting applications by Electronic Residency Applications Service (ERAS) and abide by posted timelines. We encourage applicants to apply early within the window as we offer interviews on a rolling basis after a holistic in-depth review of the application. Interviews typically occur in January, February, and March. We welcome eligible applicants from allopathic, osteopathic, and international training programs. Cleveland Clinic sponsors both J-1 and H-1B visas.

Please check nrmp.org/fellowship/epilepsy-and-clinical-neurophysiology for timelines and updates.

Additional information is also available on the American Epilepsy Society Website https://aesnet.org/education/epilepsy-fellowship-match.

For more information or any questions about our specific programs, please email epilepsyfellowships@ccf.org.

ACGME-accredited epilepsy fellowship positions for the July 2024 academic year start are full.

Research Fellowships

Research Fellows

Our program also accepts fellows from across the world with variable interests and goals for differing lengths of training at Cleveland Clinic. Research fellows have variable responsibilities depending on their prior training.

If you are interested, please email epilepsyfellowships@ccf.org for more information.

To apply for a research fellowship position in the Epilepsy Center you need to secure funding from either your sponsoring institution, funding agency or other sources that would support the duration of a research fellowship here including the required health benefits through Cleveland Clinic’s health plan.

Most participants must start the program in either July or the latter half of September to ensure they first complete the three-month epilepsy and EEG course at the beginning of their research fellowship. Typically, the fellow needs to be able to commit to at least 1 year to be eligible.

Application Requirements

Completed application form.
Current curriculum vitae.
A personal statement (a description of reasons to pursue this training, of your specific research interests, and career goals).
Three letters of recommendation.
Letter of financial support from the sponsoring institution or funding agency for salary and health benefit.
Documentation of English Language Requirement.

Documentation of ECFMG Certification and /or USMLE Score Report.
Documentation of successful completion of the TOEFL iBT (minimum overall score of 65 or higher required. Scores in the specific sections of Listening and Speaking must have a score of 15 or higher. Reading and Writing scores combined can make up the difference to meet the overall score of 65.)

Contact Us

Phone: 216.445.0831

Email: epilepsyfellowships@ccf.org

Sharon Ezzo Halley MA, C-TAGME
Administrator, Neurological Institute Education
Epilepsy Program Manager

Jessica Fesler, MD, M Ed
Program Director, Epilepsy Fellowship
Program Director, Intracranial Neurophysiology
Program Director, Epilepsy Research Fellowship
Associate Program Director, Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship
Director, Cleveland Clinic Epilepsy, Neurophysiology, and EEG 12-week Course

Andreas Alexopoulos, MD, MPH
Program Director, Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship

Current Fellows

In recent years, our epilepsy clinical fellows have accepted positions as below.

Academic Position at Barrow Neurological Institute, Arizona.
Academic Position at Brown University, Rhode Island.
Academic Position at Cleveland Clinic, Florida.
Academic Position at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio.
Academic Position at Southern Illinois University, Illinois.
Academic Position at University of Mississippi Medical Center, Mississippi.
Academic Position at Mayo Clinic, Florida.
Academic Position at Mayo Clinic, Wisconsin.
Academic Position at McGill University, Canada.
Academic Position at Children’s Hospital Medical College of Wisconsin, Wisconsin.
Academic Position at University of Maryland School of Medicine
Academic Position at New York University, New York.
Academic Position at UC Davis, California.
Academic Position at University of Kentucky.
Academic Position at University of Virginia.
Academic Position at University of Pennsylvania.
Academic Position at Vanderbilt University, Tennessee.
Academic Position at University of Alabama, Alabama.
Clinical Position at Wake Forest Baptist, North Carolina.
Clinical Position at Akron Children’s Hospital, Ohio.
Clinical Position in North Carolina.
Clinical Position in California.
Clinical Position in Minnesota.
Clinical Position in Ohio.
Some alums have returned to practice in their home country including Thailand and Saudi Arabia.

Epilepsy Center Graduation 2022

Epilepsy Center Graduation 2022

Epilepsy Center Graduation 2023

Epilepsy Center Graduation 2023

Current Non-Accredited/Two-Year Fellows

Desiree Markantone, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Residency: Mount Sinai Medical Center
Fellowship: Cleveland Clinic, Epilepsy

Carolyn Tsai, MD
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Med Col at Thomas Jefferson Un
Residency: University of North Carolina Hospitals
Fellowship: Cleveland Clinic, Epilepsy

Claudia Vallin, DO
Medical School: Nova Southeastern College of Osteo Medicine
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Florida
Fellowship: Cleveland Clinic, Epilepsy

Current ACGME Accredited Fellows

Amaya De La Pena Porras, MD
Medical School: St. George’s University
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Florida

Adriana Grau Chaves, MD
Medical School: Universidad Nacional de Asuncion
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Florida

Zachary McKee, MD
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University
Residency: Cleveland Clinic

Shivanee Sodani, MD
Medical School: Smt. Kashibai Navale Medical College
Residency: University of Connecticut Health Center

Nicholas Swingle, MD
Medical School: University of Nebraska
Residency: University of Virginia Medical Center

Sabrina Tavella-Burka, DO
Medical School: Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Cleveland Clinic, Child Neurology

Makism Parfyonov, MD
Medical School: University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine
Residency: BC Children's Hospital, Child Neurology
Fellowship: Cleveland Clinic, Epilepsy

Current Research Fellows

Alina Ivaniuk, MD (Ukraine)

Joe James, MD (India)

Ryuzaburo Kochi, MD (Japan)

David Martinez, MD (Chile)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Cleveland Clinic is Every One

Cleveland Clinic is Everyone

Welcome to the Cleveland Clinic, where our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is an integral part of our mission to deliver world-class patient care, advance education, and drive groundbreaking research. We believe that a diverse and inclusive environment is essential for the success and well-being of our residents, faculty, staff, and the patients we serve.

Our program is dedicated to cultivating a community where all individuals can thrive, learn, and contribute their unique perspectives. We understand that diversity encompasses a range of backgrounds, experiences, identities, and perspectives, and we actively strive to create a welcoming and engaging environment for all.

At Cleveland Clinic, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are not just words; they are fundamental principles woven into the fabric of our organization. We proudly highlight the existence of the DEI Committee within the House Staff Association, a Diversity Council within the enterprise, and an Office of Diversity that spearheads our DEI initiatives.

Living in Cleveland

Cleveland, an ethnically diverse, mid-sized city located on Lake Erie, features a host of cultural attractions, recreational activities, major sporting events and an exploding culinary scene. Cleveland is home to the second largest theater district in the U.S., a park system featuring 23,700 acres in 18 reservations, and is the birthplace of rock ’n’ roll, home to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Cleveland Clinic is located near the University Circle area, which is the cultural epicenter of Cleveland. This area features Severance Hall and the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Museum of Art, several other museums, and Case Western Reserve University. Downtown Cleveland, home to all major sports venues and an exploding culinary scene, is approximately two miles from Cleveland Clinic’s main campus.

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