Walter High, PhD
Endowed Chairman of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Gerald V. Klim,
D.O.
Chairman
Susan
McDowell, M.D.
Spinal Cord
Robert B.
Nickerson, M.D.
Residency Program Director
Sara S.
Salles, D.O.
Neurorehabilitation
Joe E.
Springer, PhD
Endowed Chairman of Neurorehabilitation
Randal
Schleenbaker, M.D.
Chief of Rehabilitation at Veterans Affairs
Facility (VA)
Nancy J.
Stiles, M.D.
Geriatrics
Chad A. Walters, D.O.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Susan McDowell, M.D.
| Dr. McDowell obtained a B.S. in chemistry from Augusta College (Georgia) and an M.D. from the Medical College of Georgia. She completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Kentucky and is board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation. She joined the UK faculty in July 1994 and directed the department's residency program from January 1996 through June 2001. |
 |
CLINICAL
Dr. McDowell is Medical Director of the Spinal Cord Injury Unit and a seating and mobility clinic at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital. She directs a spasticity clinic and the department's amputee rehabilitation program at UK, where she also serves as a medical consultant for acute spinal cord injury. She also serves as an attending physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Lexington unit of Shriners Hospital for Children, where she conducts a pediatric amputee clinic.
RESEARCH
Dr.
McDowell received the department's award for
Outstanding Resident of the Year and received
the department's award for Outstanding Research Project by a Resident two consecutive
years. She has been an investigator in two interdisciplinary studies of the effects of
Tizanidine as an antispasticity drug for spinal cord patients and in two studies regarding
functional neuromuscular stimulation. She has co-authored two published abstracts and one
published article on restraint use during inpatient rehabilitation. She also co-authored
an abstract on the use of a university-based student health clinic to promote and educate
PM&R students.
EDUCATION
Dr. McDowell served as Associate Residency Program Director from January 1995 through January
1996, when she became Director of the program. She supervises a resident rotation in
spinal cord rehabilitation and serves as co-chair of the department's Education Committee.
She has directed resident courses in anatomy and kinesiology, pediatric rehabilitation,
pulmonary/cardiac rehabilitation, and general physiatry. The residents named her Teacher
of the Year in 1995. McDowell has also served as a clerkship coordinator/preceptor for
medical students in several courses, including MD 841: Gerontology clerkship, IMP 821:
Physical Diagnosis, RBM 815/825: Introduction to PM&R, and RBM 850: Acting Internship,
Inpatient Rehabilitation Medicine.
