Susan Perlman facts for kids

Susan Perlman (born around 1949) is a special doctor and teacher at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She works in the Department of Neurology. This means she helps people with problems related to their brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Dr. Perlman also leads important programs. These programs help people who have conditions like Ataxia, which affects movement, and Post-polio syndrome, which can happen years after having polio. She has done a lot of research on Friedreich's ataxia and helps guide a group called the National Ataxia Foundation.

Becoming a Brain Doctor

Susan Perlman studied Biochemistry at Cornell University. She earned her first degree in 1971. Then, she went to medical school at S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook. She became a doctor in 1975.

After medical school, Dr. Perlman trained to be a neurologist at UCLA. This training lasted from 1976 to 1979. She then spent two more years at UCLA. During this time, she focused on learning more about nerve and muscle diseases.

Helping Patients with Nerve Problems

After her training, Dr. Perlman started to specialize. She focused on long-term diseases that affect muscles and nerves. These include conditions like Muscular Dystrophy, spinal cord diseases, and Cerebral Palsy.

Teamwork in Healthcare

Dr. Perlman created a special clinic where many experts work together. This team includes neurologists (brain doctors), psychologists (who help with feelings), social workers, and different types of therapists. Their goal is to connect everything. They work on finding out what's wrong, helping people get better, and finding new treatments. They also do research to understand these diseases better.

Helping Post-Polio Patients

She also set up a separate clinic just for people with Post-polio syndrome. This clinic helps teach new doctors about post-polio. About 200 patients visit this clinic each year. They come to get checked and receive treatment.

Dr. Perlman is also interested in how brain and nerve problems connect to Neurogenetics. This is the study of how genes affect the nervous system.

Special Recognition

On May 30, 2008, Dr. Perlman received a very important award. It was called the Sherman M. Mellinkoff Faculty Award. She got this award at a special ceremony for graduating medical students. This award is considered the highest honor for a teacher at the David Geffen School of Medicine.