Transplant nephrologist, neurosurgeon among new faculty hires

The Medical Center is proud to announce the following additions to its faculty and leadership staff.

Jennifer C. Reneker, Ph.D.

Dr. Jennifer C. Reneker, a physical therapist who practiced clinically before serving as an assistant professor of physical therapy at Walsh University, North Canton, Ohio, has joined the Medical Center faculty as an associate professor of physical therapy in the School of Health Related Professions.

After receiving her BS in biology from the University of Akron, Ohio, in 1998, Reneker earned her MS in physical therapy at Walsh University in 2000. She served as a board-certified clinical specialist in neurologic physical therapy at the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Administration Medical Center, Ohio, for the past 13 years and joined the Walsh University faculty as an assistant professor of physical therapy in 2010. Reneker received her Ph.D. in public health, specializing in epidemiology, from Kent State University, Ohio, in 2015.

The primary or senior author of 11 articles in peer-reviewed professional publications, four abstracts and 12 peer-reviewed scientific and professional presentations, Reneker is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association. She is principal investigator of two research studies on physical therapy intervention in sports-related concussion.
 

Pradeep Kumar Vaitla, M.D.

Dr. Pradeep Kumar Vaitla has joined the Medical Center faculty as an assistant professor of medicine. He trained in transplant nephrology at Emory University, Atlanta, from 2015-16.

After receiving his medical degree from Osmania Medical College, India, he completed Internal medicine residency training at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center from 2010-13, followed by a nephrology fellowship at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, from 2013-15.

An active member of the American Society of Nephrology, the American Society of Hypertension and the American Society of Transplantation, Vaitla is the author or coauthor of 13 abstracts in peer-reviewed professional publications.

Jennifer May M. Villacorta, M.D.

Dr. Jennifer May M. Villacorta, an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Wayne State University, Detroit, has joined the Medical Center faculty as an assistant professor of neurosurgery. She is the admitting physician for spinal cord injury services at Mississippi Methodist Rehabilitation Center.

After receiving her BS in physical therapy in 2002 and her M.D. in 2007 from the University of the Philippines, Manila, Villacorta completed her physical medicine and rehabilitation residency training at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences from 2009-13 and a spinal cord injury medicine clinical fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, from 2013-14. She joined the Wayne State University faculty and served as medical director for SCI outpatient services at the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, Detroit.

An active member of several professional associations, including the Association of Advanced Wound Care, the American Spinal Injury Association, the Association of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Villacorta is the author or coauthor of two posters presented at national scientific meetings and a contributor to PMR book series. Her special interests are in the comprehensive management of spinal cord injury patients, including neurogenic bowel and bladder management, wound care management, spasticity, respiratory and osteoporosis.