Our Team

Rajeev K. Patel, M.D., Chair
UR Medicine Spine Center, Interventional Spine
Dr. Patel specializes in the non-surgical and interventional treatment of pinched nerves (sciatica or radiculopathy), herniated discs, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease. He is a physiatrist, or physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, with additional training in performing interventional spine procedures. He utilizes conservative and physical/functional rehabilitative measures in combination with injections and minimally invasive spinal procedures to provide long-term success in the management of spinal disorders. Dr. Patel earned his medical degree from the Northeastern Ohio Universities Medical School. He completed a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Baylor College of Medicine and a fellowship in Interventional Spine at the University of Pennsylvania Spine Center. Dr. Patel has authored research papers, review articles, and book chapters on numerous spinal conditions and the safety and effectiveness of interventional spine procedures. He is specialty and subspecialty board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedics and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at URMC.

Clifford Everett, M.D., MPH, Associate Chair
UR Medicine Spine Center, Interventional Spine
Dr. Everett's areas of specialty and research are the non-surgical treatment of lower back pain and spinal disorders such as spinal stenosis and sciatica. As a physiatrist, or physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, he uses interventional treatments including injections and specific rehabilitation to restore function and quality of life to his patients. Dr. Everett earned his medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed a residency at the Mayo Clinic. He has published numerous medical articles on topics such as techniques for treating spinal pain and guidelines for their implementation. Dr. Everett is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedics and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at URMC.

Donna Ferrero, M.D.
UR Medicine Spine Center, Interventional Spine, Myofascial Pain
Dr. Ferrero specializes in the non-surgical treatment of spine disorders, specifically neck and back pain. As a physiatrist, or physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, she helps to maximize a patient's function through a variety of treatments including medication, physical therapy, and injections. Dr. Ferrero earned her medical degree from the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at SUNY Buffalo. She completed a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Ferrero is a board certified physiatrist, a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Douglas Fetkenhour, M.D.
Douglas R. Fetkenhour, MD is a Senior Instructor at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. As a physiatrist, Dr. Fetkenhour specializes in the management of spasticity following spinal cord injury and stroke, and in cerebral palsy in patients of all ages. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Fetkenhour received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. He completed his Internal Medicine Internship at Lankenau Hospital in and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency training at the University of Syracuse. His special interests include spasticity management following spinal cord injury and stroke and cerebral palsy. Dr. Fetkenhour is experienced in managing the rehabilitation needs of pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric patients. He is actively involved in didactic and clinical teaching in the residency program and is course director for the medical student rehabilitation elective.

Lindsay Keller, N.P.
Inpatient SMH Consult Coordinator

Heather Ma, M.D., M.S.
 

Renee Madathil, Ph.D.
Inpatient Neuropsych Consult
Dr. Madathil currently serves as the Inpatient Rehabilitation Neuropsychologist at URMC. She received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from The University of Montana, and went on to complete her residency and post-doctoral fellowship in both Rehabilitation Psychology and Neuropsychology at The University of Washington Medical Center. In addition, she completed a one year research fellowship at the Seattle VA examining the effects of repeated, blast-related mTBI in OEF/OIF/OND Veterans. Dr. Madathil provides psychological services with the goal of increasing function and quality of life for persons living with chronic illness, injury, and/or disability. Her current clinical practice focuses on assisting individuals and their support systems in coping with, and adapting to, the effects of injury or illness during hospitalization. She also specializes in brain-behavior relationships, and the neuropsychological assessment and treatment of neurological disorders. Her approaches are biopsychosocial in nature, and most often include brief, solution focused therapy, CBT, hypnosis for pain, mindfulness, cognitive rehabilitation, and neuropsychological evaluation.

Amy Pacos Martinez, PsyD
Integrated Cognitive Rehabilitation
Dr. Martinez is a clinical neuropsychologist with more than 11 years of extensive experience in the neuropsychology field. She is the Director of the Integrated Cognitive Rehab Program at the University of Rochester Medical Center and also runs the Outpatient Neuropsychology Clinic within the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at UR Medicine. Prior to joining PM&R, Dr. Martinez ran a successful private practice that provided diagnostic and assessment services for children, adolescent, and adults in the greater Washington, DC area. Presently, Dr. Martinez provides direct patient care serving the diagnostic categories of chronic neurological disease (i.e. MS, spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, and other neurological conditions). She is focused on helping individuals improve their performance, adjustment and general sense of efficacy in their lives. Her clinical interests include cognitive rehabilitation; neuropsychological and neurocognitive evaluations; and adjustment from medical illness.

Eric Morrison, M.D., M.Sc., Division Chief and Medical Director
General Inpatient Rehabilitation, EMG/NCS, Non-op/Interventional MSK, Adult Spasticity Management, Amputee Clinic

Jean Nickels, M.D.
Intrathecal Baclofen Pumps (ITB), Spinal Cord Injury Clinic
Dr. Nickels is an Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology with an additional appointment as an Associate Professor of Clinical Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Nickels is a graduate of the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed her rehabilitation residency at the University of Rochester. She is a board certified physiatrist. Dr. Nickels provides comprehensive inpatient rehabilitative care to patients with new functional impairments such as stroke, amputation, spinal cord injury or Multiple Sclerosis. She provides consultative services to nursing home clients. Dr. Nickels' approach is based on an interdisciplinary approach to patient and family centered care. She coordinates medical, therapy and social services and equipment needs for individuals with disabilities. She provides evidenced based education to medical students, Neurology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation resident physicians, therapists and community-based stroke support groups.

John Orsini, M.D.
UR Medicine Spine Center, Interventional Spine, EMG/NCS, Adult Spasticity Management
As a physiatrist, or physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, Dr. Orsini works alongside spine surgeons to diagnose and treat spinal disorders by interventional means. Dr. Orsini's special expertise includes diagnosis of peripheral nerve injuries and non-surgical treatments such as spine injections and management of spasticity due to stroke, brain injury, MS, or cerebral palsy. He has additional experience in the use of electrodiagnostic studies to evaluate disorders of nerves and muscle. Dr. Orsini earned his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine. He completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington and a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Orsini is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with certification in pain management at URMC.

Jennifer Paul, M. D., Residency Director
Non-op/Interventional MSK, Adult Spasticity Management
Dr. Paul is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She has joined the University of Rochester as an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation. She has a special interest in musculoskeletal conditions including arthritis, tendinitis and acute/chronic injuries. Dr Paul also specializes in spasticity management and sees a wide variety of general rehabilitation conditions including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and stroke. Dr. Paul is a member of the Association of Academic Physiatrists and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She has presented at National conferences and has authored several articles and book chapters. Her primary research interest involves non-surgical management of knee osteoarthritis.

Sara Z. Salim, M.D., Associate Residency Director
EMG/NCS, Non-op/Interventional MSK, Pediatric/Adult Spasticity Management, Spinal Cord Injury Clinic
Dr. Salim received her undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester. She earned her medical degree at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in the Netherlands Antilles. She completed an internship in Internal Medicine at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UMDNJ/Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in Newark, New Jersey. Dr. Salim is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Her special interests and expertise include inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, Ultrasound guided injections and spasticity management with Botox injections.

Marcia J. Scherer, Ph.D., M.P.H., CRC
Dr. Scherer received her doctorate from the University of Rochester in the areas of Counseling, Family and Worklife Studies. She has a Masters Degree in Public Health from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She is the Director for the Institute for Matching Person and Technology. She is also the Sr. Research Associate for the International Center for Hearing and Speech Research (a joint program of the University of Rochester and National Technical Institute for the Deaf/Rochester Institute of Technology). Dr. Scherer is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in Rehabilitation Psychology, Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology and in Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics. She is also a Fellow of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and a member of the editorial board of the journal Disability and Rehabilitation, official journal of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.

Kamaljit Sidhu, M.D., Outpatient Medical Director
Non-op/Interventional MSK, Adult Spasticity Management

David Speach, M.D.
UR Medicine Spine Center, Interventional Spine, EMG/NCS
Dr. Speach is a physiatrist, or physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor, who specializes in the non-surgical management of musculoskeletal conditions. His primary focus is evaluation and treatment of neck disorders, back disorders, and neck and lower back sources of radiating pain. Treatment options include therapy, medications, and spinal injections. Dr. Speach has additional certification in Neuromuscular Medicine and the use of electrodiagnostic studies to evaluate disorders of muscle and nerves. He earned his medical degree from SUNY Upstate Medical Center and completed a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at URMC. Dr. Speach has written or reviewed several medical papers and books on rehabilitation topics. He is a board-certified physician and an Associate Professor in the Departments of Orthopaedics and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at URMC.

Administrative Staff

Jenna Cerasuolo, Assistant to the Chair

Douglas Stark, Program Administrator

Catherine Flanagan, Residency Coordinator, Sr. Health Project Coordinator