Division Head of Behavioral Neurology

Henry Ford Medical Group’s Department of Neurology is seeking a board-certified Neurologist to lead our clinical and research programs in behavioral neurology, aging, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.  The successful candidate will assume the Paul C. Alandt Endowed Chair of Behavioral Neurology, which is specifically intended to support efforts towards reducing the burden of dementia and related neurodegenerative conditions.  Fellowship training in Behavioral Neurology and a proven track record of successful, high impact funded clinical research is desired.

The Department of Neurology has a busy and active clinical trials unit with expertise in stroke, critical care, movement disorders, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and neuromuscular disorders.  We are seeking visionary leadership to expand these activities to include government and industry-funded trials in Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders.  Substantial opportunities exist within our health system for conducting population-based epidemiological studies and clinical trials in Behavioral Neurology.  Opportunities also exist to collaborate with the NIH-Funded Henry Ford Precision Medicine Initiative Cohort Program, which will collect genetic information and biological samples from 180,000 patients in the Henry Ford Health System, and over 1 million patients nationally.  The successful candidate will work with our existing 10-person interdisciplinary Memory Clinic team at Henry Ford Hospital to establish a new Center for Cognitive Health, focusing on early diagnosis and intervention for Alzheimer’s disease.  The division of Behavioral Neurology consists of 3 fellowship-trained physicians in Neurology and Geriatric Psychiatry, an Advanced Practice Provider, a Social Worker, a Psychometrist as well as nursing and administrative support.  Opportunities will also exist to develop and test complimentary therapeutics in collaboration with the Henry Ford Center for Integrative Medicine and continue ongoing community outreach programs with the Greater Michigan Alzheimer’s Association. 

The Henry Ford Department of Neurology is composed of nearly 50 clinical senior staff Neurologists, 12 fellows, 24 residents, 9 advanced practice providers, and 20 full-time research staff.   The Henry Ford Health System is one of the nation’s leading comprehensive, integrated health systems, an approximately $4.5 billion organization with over 23,000 employees.  Our busy neurological practice completes over 30,000 outpatient visits and 5,000 inpatient admissions annually across four outpatient medical centers in metro Detroit. 

Our Department of Neurology has a long tradition of excellence in stroke care.  We were the coordinating center for the groundbreaking prospective randomized 1995 NINDS tPA Stroke Trial that showed the efficacy and safety of tPA within 3 hours of stroke onset.  Our Stroke team provides integrated care at Henry Ford Hospital, a Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Center and AHA/ASA Gold Plus and Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite status.  Our HF West Bloomfield Hospital is a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center and has a Gold Elite status. Our three other hospitals are Primary Stroke Centers with HF Macomb and HF Allegiance hospitals having Gold Plus and Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite status and HF Wyandotte Hospital having Silver Plus status.

As an academic program, Henry Ford Neurology is in the top 5% of NIH-funded research programs in the U.S., and Henry Ford’s Neuroscience Institute is one of the largest and fastest-growing research centers of its kind in the nation.  In the last five years, the Department of Neurology has received over $47 Million in clinical and basic science research funding for 245 grants and contracts, averaging 3-7 NIH grants a year.  Opportunities exist for collaborating with our Department of Population Health, our basic science laboratories directed by Michael Chopp, PhD, and the Henry Ford Innovation Institute, which focuses on clinical translation.

This leadership opportunity will be supported by a substantial start-up package.  It will also offer time for direct patient care, and educational endeavors, including a teaching role with medical students, neurology residents, and behavioral neurology fellows.  A tenure-track academic appointment is offered through Wayne State University School of Medicine, at the Associate or Full Professor level.  In June 2020, Henry Ford Health System and Michigan State University have signed a letter of intent to make Henry Ford Hospital the primary academic affiliation of Michigan State University with a goal of reaching a definitive agreement by the end of 2020.

Interested candidates, please forward your CV via email to: Brien Smith, M.D., Department of Neurology Chair, c/o Laura Settles via the link in the contact section or at lsettle2@hfhs.org. I may also be reached by phone at (313) 282-4747.

Thank you in advance for your consideration,

Laura Settles