Residencies and Fellowships
Neurologic Occupational Therapy Fellowship
The Mary Free Bed Neurologic Occupational Therapy Fellowship offers advanced post-professional clinical training for occupational therapists seeking to enhance their expertise in neurologic rehabilitation. This comprehensive program combines education, research, and hands-on experience in multidisciplinary clinical environments to help fellows excel in their careers.
Why choose our Neurologic Occupational Therapy Fellowship?
Our fellowship program provides unique learning opportunities that empower participants to specialize in neurologic care, preparing them for specialty practice and leadership roles in their field. Fellows will:
Complete Inpatient Rotations
Gain experience through three inpatient clinical rotations, working with patients recovering from brain injury, spinal cord injury, and stroke.
Engage in Outpatient Care
Participate in an outpatient clinical rotation focused on treating patients with neurologic conditions while working alongside an interdisciplinary team to help restore hope and freedom.
Collaborate with Western Michigan University (WMU)
Serve as an adjunct faculty member and volunteer in WMU’s Neuro Rehab Clinic, enriching your academic and practical knowledge.
Fellowship Mission
The mission of the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Neurologic Occupational Therapy Fellowship is to provide advanced clinical training in a multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary environment. Fellows will participate in a combination of expert mentorship, didactic teachings and education, and dynamic clinical experience. Graduates of this fellowship program will demonstrate advanced professional skills to support and facilitate occupational participation and performance, restore hope and freedom through rehabilitation and achieve clinical excellence across the neurologic rehabilitation specialty. Fellows will be working closely with an interdisciplinary team, using evidence-based research in treatment design, application, and modification with a variety of neurological disorders. Fellows will develop the ability to share their skilled clinical knowledge with students, volunteers, patients, families, and peers to further the OT profession while exuding the highest professional and ethical standards.
Join the Future of Neurologic Occupational Therapy
The Mary Free Bed Neurologic Occupational Therapy Fellowship is designed for passionate occupational therapists ready to take their skills to the next level. By combining cutting-edge clinical practice with research and teaching opportunities, this program prepares fellows to lead and innovate in the field of neurologic rehabilitation.
Learn More
- Check out our Frequently Asked Questions Document here.
- Please explore the categories below for program details.
- Application questions: Email recruitment@maryfreebed.com.
- Program-specific questions: Email Stephanie DeKryger at OTfellowship@maryfreebed.com.
- General residency/fellowship questions: Email Therapy.ResFel@maryfreebed.com.
Clinical Curriculum
Fellows divide their time between inpatient and outpatient settings, gaining experience with a wide range of neurologic diagnoses.
Inpatient clinical rotations include time with brain injury, spinal cord injury and stroke rehabilitation teams.
While in each specialty area, our fellows build clinical reasoning skills enhanced through mentoring time with an expert neurologic therapist.
The outpatient rotation includes work with patients with neurologic diagnoses, such as post-concussion, post-CVA and spinal cord injury.
Supplemental professional development activities include clinical observation in multiple specialty clinics (post-concussion, muscular dystrophy, ALS), observation of many specialty rehabilitation services and additional learning opportunities across disciplines. Examples include:
Interdisciplinary rounds and education events
As a fellow, you’ll lead monthly journal clubs to engage the rehabilitation team in evidence-based practice and case reviews to explore occupational profiling, clinical decision-making and application of research into a current clinical case in order to achieve the best possible occupational outcomes.
Didactics
The curriculum integrates the Fellowship Program Learning Objectives (FPLO) and the American Occupational Therapy Association Standards of Continuing Competence, providing a comprehensive foundation in neurologic occupational therapy.
Didactic learning is delivered through diverse formats, including webinars, self-guided modules, directed readings, hands-on practice, and mentor-led discussions. Fellows are encouraged to pursue continuing education opportunities and share their knowledge with the team.
Fellows will engage in a scientific inquiry project under the guidance of a Western Michigan University faculty mentor, focusing on an area of personal interest.
Teaching opportunities include assisting in Western Michigan University’s Department of Occupational Therapy neurologic lab and classroom, as well as supervising OTD students at WMU’s Neuro Rehab Clinic. Here, fellows will work with patients facing neurologic conditions such as stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease.
Job Details
Fellows have full-time status as Mary Free Bed employees, which includes full-time benefits. They’re also appointed as part-time faculty at Western Michigan University, which includes access to university resources. Tuition: $200 for additional learning
Requirements
- Effective communication skills
- Strong performance during clinical and educational experiences
- Excellent letters of recommendation
Expectations
- Contribute to the occupational therapy profession and healthcare community through specialized clinical care, evidence-based practice, teaching, leadership, and scholarship.
- Integrate advanced, patient-centered care with interdisciplinary team collaboration, grounded in neurological science.
- Complete a post-professional curriculum emphasizing evidence-based occupational therapy practice.
Eligibility
- The applicant must be a licensed occupational therapist or in their final year of an accredited occupational therapy program.
- Applicants must have obtained State of Michigan licensure prior to beginning the fellowship.
- Fellows must be a member of AOTA and maintain a current CPR/AED certification.
Program Goals
Develop Advanced Clinicians
Graduate fellows with post-professional learning in the neurologic occupational therapy, who can integrate advanced, patient-centered clinical practice and interdisciplinary team-based collaborative practice with a theoretical knowledge base in neurologic rehabilitation to promote improved occupational health and participation of individuals they serve.
Deliver Evidence-Based Care
To develop advanced trained clinicians who will provide high quality, ethical, evidence-based clinical services to improve the occupation-based outcomes of the individuals served.
Foster Ethical Practice
To empower occupational therapists to practice ethical clinical decision-making and demonstrate professionalism and virtuous behavior
Advance the Profession
Prepare occupational therapists who value and contribute to the profession of occupational therapy and the healthcare community through teaching, advocacy and advancing the body of knowledge of neurologic rehabilitation in occupational therapy.
Maintain Excellence
To obtain and maintain a high caliber fellowship program and AOTA accreditation as a neurology occupational therapy program.
Program Outcomes
Fellows will display excellence in advanced, multi-disciplinary, patient-centered clinical practice and the foundational knowledge for neurorehabilitation while demonstrating the ability to assess and critically study the current research and apply evidence-based research during clinical rotations and treatment.
The OT fellow will demonstrate competency and the ability to critically analyze, evaluate and modify treatment, and promote ideal outcomes for various patients across the neurologic spectrum.
Fellow will demonstrate competency with skilled interpersonal skills, management of clinical caseload, understanding funding and payor requirements and demonstrate strong ethical decision-making skills during advanced clinical treatment.
The fellow will demonstrate a passion for occupational therapy core values and implement the principles and standards of conduct in all interactions with team members, family and patients as seen through clinical service, program development, volunteerism, and hands on teaching.
The OT fellow will demonstrate proficiency with assessments, screenings, and treatments across various populations. The fellow will demonstrate appropriate knowledge and skill of program specific content and integrate evidence-based research into current practice and treatment to improve overall care and occupational function.
Faculty
- PhD, Higher Education Leadership, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
- MS, Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
- BS, Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
- Board certified in Physical Rehabilitation
- M.S., Western Michigan University; B.S. Health and Human Sciences, Western Michigan University
- O.T.D., Texas Woman’s University; M.S., Western Michigan University; B.S., Western Michigan University; A.A.S., Grand Rapids Community College
- Outpatient Spinal Cord Injury Team leader
- MA in TESOL, Cornerstone University; BS Occupational Therapy, Eastern Michigan University
- MS, Western Michigan University; BS Grand Valley State University
- Certified Brain Injury Specialist
- MSOT, Saginaw Valley State University; BS Rehabilitation Medicine, Saginaw Valley State University.
- MS, Western Michigan University; B.S., Interdisciplinary Health Services Western Michigan University
Technologies
Want to apply?
The application window is open now! Applications are due February 16, 2026 for the 2026– 2027 fellowship year. Interviews will be held in early March.
Please submit your application following the guidelines here.
If you have further questions, email recruitment@maryfreebed.com.
For program-specific questions, email OTFellowship@maryfreebed.com.
Research
Research Each year, the fellow presents their findings at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital’s Interdisciplinary Grand Rounds. Listed below are the citations for the fellow’s additional presentations and links to the published works.
Allan, L. G. (2025). A Multisensory, Interdisciplinary Approach to Visual Neglect for Enhancement of Visual Attention Following Basal Ganglia Hemorrhage: A Case Report.
The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 13(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.2278