PPMD is dedicated to fighting for every future as we strive to end Duchenne. Since 2011, PPMD has been a proud supporter of the Myology Course, presented by Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) and The Ohio State University which aims to educate and advance the next generation of neuromuscular physicians and scientists. This commitment is essential because the advancement of research and clinical care for Duchenne relies on a steady stream of skilled and motivated professionals to address the complexities of the condition. 

The Myology Course was founded by Dr. Kevin Flanigan, Director of the Center for Gene Therapy in the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and is now led by Dr. Megan Waldrop, Co-Director of Nationwide’s Certified Duchenne Care Center and Muscular Dystrophy Clinic. 

Last week, medical and doctoral trainees from all over the world gathered to immerse themselves in this one-of-a-kind workshop, taking a deep dive into basic and clinical science lectures and wet labs. It is meetings like this that ignite a lifelong commitment to the neuromuscular—and Duchenne—field among the next generation of scientific leaders. 

PPMD’s own Rachel Schrader, MS, APRN, CPNP-PC, Vice President of Clinical Care, Outreach, and Education is a testament to the course’s impact. Rachel, a former Myology Course trainee, credits the experience with sparking her own commitment to Duchenne. She recalls, “Attending the myology course in 2014, just before joining the neuromuscular clinic team at NCH, provided me with a solid foundation to begin to understand the science of Duchenne and ignited my passion in the field from the very beginning.” Last week, Rachel presented on “Leveraging the Patient Voice to Advance Basic and Clinical Research,” teaching trainees about the critical role patient advocacy plays in demanding, investing, and advancing excellence in clinical care and research. 

“My hope for the trainees is that they’ll get excited about Duchenne and other neuromuscular diseases and use that passion to focus the trajectory of their career on neuromuscular disorders, whether it be to conduct critical research, deliver world-class clinical care, or develop transformational therapies as we work together to change the future for those living with Duchenne, Becker, and carriers. Duchenne may be considered a rare disease, but together, we are strong.” 

Attendees heard from world-class researchers and practitioners, including many friends of PPMD, including Drs. Lee Sweeney, Jill Rafael-Fortney, Linda Cripe, Anne Connolly, Carsten Bonnemann, and many more.

We congratulate Dr. Waldrop and Dr. Flanigan and their team for yet another wonderful myology course and are grateful for their continued dedication to  developing the next generation of experts in Duchenne.