Emory University has launched its first Nurse Practitioner Fellowship in Movement Disorders, aimed at enhancing care for Parkinson’s disease patients. The program is supported by a $1.8 million grant from the Parkinson’s Foundation and the McCamish Foundation.
The fellowship was initially announced in July 2025 and is designed to prepare nurse practitioners for advanced clinical roles in Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders at Emory Healthcare’s Movement Disorders Clinic, which holds the designation of a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence.
“Parkinson’s disease care is becoming increasingly complex, and meeting the needs of a growing patient population requires innovative, team-based approaches,” said Jaffar Khan, MD, chair of the Department of Neurology at Emory University School of Medicine. “We are proud to welcome this new fellowship cohort and grateful for the philanthropic support that makes this specialized training possible. By investing in advanced education for nurse practitioners, we are expanding access to high-quality Parkinson’s care and strengthening the interdisciplinary approach that improves outcomes for patients and families.”
The one-year program combines hands-on clinical experience with collaboration among specialists in movement disorders. Fellows will work alongside physician fellows and other healthcare professionals. They also participate in virtual training provided by the Parkinson’s Foundation before starting their on-site training.
For 2026, Tong Wang and Elsa Mekonnen have been named as recipients of the fellowship. Wang began her career as an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner in 2019 and currently works at Emory Johns Creek Hospital within neurology and orthopedics surgical departments. Her background includes experience at Emory Rehabilitation Hospital and Emory Neurointensive Care Unit, as well as personal experience caring for her mother with Parkinson’s disease.
Mekonnen previously served as a research nurse practitioner at Emory University School of Medicine where she conducted human physiology research. She has authored several peer-reviewed studies and brings over ten years of clinical nursing experience across acute care and research environments.
Over three years, eight nurse practitioners will complete this fellowship with the goal of improving experiences for both patients with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers while supporting providers and reducing wait times for specialized appointments.
The Nurse Practitioner Fellowship was first established by the Parkinson’s Foundation in 2022. As part of its involvement, Emory joins the Parkinson’s Foundation Global Care Network, which consists of 55 medical centers worldwide—42 located in the United States—recognized for leadership in research and patient care related to Parkinson’s disease.
To learn more about services related to Parkinson’s disease at Emory Healthcare, visit this page.
