Fellows and Students

The Parkinson and Other Movement Disorders Center offers one year sub-specialty training in movement disorders and an optional second year for research training to clinicians with residency training in Neurology. We also offer research fellowships in movement disorders to scientists from different backgrounds. Find out more about our fellowship.

Clinical Fellows

Sophia Raefsky, M.D., PGY5

Movement Disorders Fellow, Academic Year 2025-2026

Dr. Raefsky completed her undergraduate degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Biology at University of Puget Sound. She earned her medical degree at University of California Irvine, before completing Neurology residency at University of California San Diego. She is currently a Movement Disorders Fellow at University of California San Diego. She has an interest in medical education, completing the medical education track during residency. She additionally has an interest in clinical research.
Eshita Shah, M.D., PGY6

Movement Disorders Fellow, Academic Year 2024-2026

Dr. Shah completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at UCLA. She then earned her Medical Degree at the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University. She moved back to California to complete her neurology residency at UC Irvine, where she served as chief resident during the final year. She is currently a second-year movement disorders research fellow at UC San Diego. Dr. Shah is interested in clinical research in Parkinson's disease as well as medical education.

Postdoctoral and Visiting Scholars

Aida Akhoundi, M.D.

Aida Akhoundi received her medical training and completed her neurology residency in Tehran. She achieved the impressive rank of 3rd place in the national neurology board examination. Subsequently, she assumed the role of assistant professor of neurology at Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran. Her responsibilities included collaborating with neurology residents and interns, managing challenging patient cases referred from across the country, and engaging in research endeavors. Additionally, she served as the educational delegate for the neurology department.
Dr. Akhoundi has authored numerous articles in the field of movement disorders, with a particular focus on deep brain stimulation (DBS). She also contributed as an author to the handbook of neuromodulation. Her research interests extend to identifying effective disease-modifying therapies for atypical Parkinsonian disorders and exploring the long-term implications of DBS. In her leisure time, she enjoys running and spending time at the gym

Nahid Olfati, M.D.
Dr. Olfati attended medical school at Tabriz Medical university where she also took courses in the field of health care management and evidence based medicine. She completed her neurology residency at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS) with a special interest on the field of movement and neurodegenerative disorders. After finishing residency, Dr. Olfati started to work at MUMS as an assistant professor of neurology and served as neurology residency program director. She is interested to pursue her research in the field of etiopathogenesis and biomarkers of atypical Parkinsonian Disorders.