Our fellowship offers a unique occupational therapy approach to address the complex needs of individuals with acquired brain injuries (ABI) and their families. This 12-month post-professional program is focused in the outpatient neurorehabilitation setting, with experiential learning opportunities in acute care and inpatient rehabilitation. Successful completion of the fellowship results in graduates becoming Certified Brain Injury Specialists.

Duration: 12 months
Accreditation: AOTA applicant status
Apply: download application instructions
Rolling application period: Begins in April 2024
Application deadline: Extended to May 31, 2024
Selection decision: July 2024
Program start: August 2024, pending AOTA approval
Clinic location: The Johns Hopkins Hospital
A curriculum plan may be available upon request. Please contact the fellowship director for more information.
View program flyer

Please click the pay application fee link to pay the supplementary application fee. Application will not be processed until the fee is received and application is complete. All fees are non-refundable.

Eligibility Criteria

• Required:
  • A graduate of an occupational therapy educational program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)
  • Maryland State OT license
  • National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy registration
  • AHA BLS certification (may be obtained prior to the start of fellowship)
  • AOTA membership 
• Preferred, but not required:
  • Experience in treating patients with neurological conditions in acute care or inpatient rehabilitation (a favorable prerequisite to providing neurological outpatient services).

Fellowship Goals

Our mission is to advance occupational therapy practitioners in the field of neurorehabilitation by fostering a comprehensive and immersive post-professional program that cultivates value-based rehabilitation and optimizes participation and engagement in meaningful occupation for adults with acquired brain injury. The goals of our fellowship are to:

1. Provide outstanding clinical education and facilitate engagement in scholarly activities to advance occupational therapy knowledge translation in the field of brain injury rehabilitation.
2. Produce clinicians who will improve care and support for individuals with brain injuries and their families through evidence-informed practice, interprofessional collaboration, and advocacy efforts.
3. Offer a supportive and enriching learning environment that is grounded in principles of adult learning theories.
4. Provide a comprehensive, well-rounded educational experience that prepares the fellows for specialty certification in the fields of occupational therapy and acquired brain injury.
5. Produce clinicians, instructors, and consultants who are prepared to assume leadership roles in the field of acquired brain injury rehabilitation.
6. Ensure adherence with the American Occupational Therapy Association Fellowship Program criteria, learning objectives, and Standards for Continuing Competence in Occupational Therapy.

Fellowship Features

• Salary and full-time benefits
• Over 500 hours of didactic and clinical education, mentored practice and scholarly activities, including:
  • Presentation and attendance at local and/or national conferences
  • Dedicated individualized leadership training
  • Unique considerations of intersectional, psychosocial and socioeconomic impacts of ABI rehabilitation
• More than 1,200 hours of direct patient care, including:
  • Specialized, population-specific service delivery in a hospital-based outpatient setting
  • Intra- and inter-professional collaboration to optimize patient outcomes
  • Experiential learning requirements in acute care and inpatient rehabilitation
• Fellowship director with AOTA Board Certification in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and mentors with specialty certifications
• Graduates will become a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) through the Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists (ACBIS)

Program Faculty

• Daniel Tekeste, OTR/L, CPAM, CSRS
• Kaitlin O’Sullivan, MS, OTR/L, CHT