BIDMC – Neurology Fellowship: Multiple Sclerosis

Program Overview

The BIDMC MS Center offers a 1–2 year fellowship open to board-eligible or certified neurologists in the US, or to foreign-trained neurologists with a valid ECFMG certificate. The fellowship is designed to prepare neurologists for an academic and/or clinical career in multiple sclerosis and is tailored to the individual needs and interests of the fellow. Fellows will participate in supervised care of MS clinic patients and in multidisciplinary care of these patients under the direct supervision of Dr. Sloane (MS Center Medical Director), Dr. Michaelson (Fellowship Program Director), Dr. Azuma, and Dr. Stein.

Fellows will learn about MS, NMO, and other related demyelinating conditions and will be well-versed in the diagnosis and management of these disorders upon completion of their fellowship. They will also learn about side effects of immunomodulatory medications, including progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), and other opportunistic infections. Plentiful didactics and elective rotations will round out the educational experience. Fellows will be encouraged to publish and present interesting case reports, literature reviews, and original research, participate in BIDMC weekly neuroradiology conferences, prepare regular journal club presentations, assist in inpatient consults, and attend and present at local and national conferences.

Many unique resources are available at BIDMC and the Boston environs, including a world-class transcranial magnetic stimulation facility at BIDMC, internationally respected sleep, stroke, neurocognitive, and movement disorder BIDMC faculty, and 7T MRI and PET scan research at the Martinos Center. Opportunities to learn first-hand from neuro-ophthalmology attendings are also available. Fellows will have the opportunity to learn how to prepare IRB protocols and how to design and conduct clinical research studies. Fellows will also be trained in grant writing (to foundations such as the National Multiple Sclerosis Society or NIH) as well as ways to explore industry opportunities. There will also be exciting new opportunities to participate in the cutting edge of neuroimmunology/neuro-oncology through clinical and research projects with the ongoing integration of Dana-Farber and BIDMC!

Greetings from the Program Director!

Nara Miriam Michaelson, MD, MS
Multiple Sclerosis & Neuroimmunology
Fellowship Program Director

It is my honor and privilege to welcome you to our exceptional Multiple Sclerosis & Neuroimmunology fellowship program! Our program brings together the world-class teaching of Harvard Medical School with the close-knit mentorship that is a hallmark of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. This is an especially exciting time of new opportunity for our program with the integration of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (formerly affiliated with Brigham & Women’s Hospital), which will only expand opportunities to be at the forefront of neuro-oncologic complications from CART, checkpoint inhibitors, stem cell transplants, BTKis, and other emerging therapies. There will be plentiful opportunities to learn the fundamentals of Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis and management, as well as further our understanding of rarer conditions like neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disorders (MOGAD), and paraneoplastic conditions.

Having trained at Massachusetts General Hospital & Brigham & Women’s Hospital myself with some of the world’s leaders in Multiple Sclerosis & Neuroimmunology, I encourage and foster cross-institutional collaborations with other Harvard Longwood hospitals, as well as with Harvard School of Public Health, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, the Broad Institute, and excellent nearby institutions such as (my alma mater!) the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Go Beavers! There are also ways to learn about the many unique biotech opportunities available in nearby Kendall Square in Cambridge, MA. The possibilities are truly endless, and we want each fellow to pursue their passions to the fullest extent imaginable!

We look forward to receiving your application through the San Francisco Match program!

Nara Miriam Michaelson, MD, MS

Fellowship Didactics

Application Process

We participate in the San Francisco Match Program (Neuroimmunology & Multiple Sclerosis Fellowship Overview). Applicants should register with SF Match and send their application materials directly to SF Match, including a CV, short personal statement, and three letters of reference. Applicant registration begins November, and applications are due at the end of February. Interviews are offered between Jan-April 2027. Match day is May 6, 2027. Please see the Neuroimmunology & Multiple Sclerosis Fellowship Timetable on the SF Match website for more specific dates, Match rules, and FAQs.

For questions about our program, please contact Billy Kanellopoulous at wkanello@bidmc.harvard.edu.