Welcome from the Chief
Welcome and thank you for visiting our page for the Division of Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH).
I am Section Chief Laura Hobart-Porter, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Though I am not a native Arkansan, I was attracted to the opportunity to grow a section with immense potential to impact historically underserved children over a broad geographic area. I began serving as faculty in 2014, then Medical Director of our Spinal Cord Disorders Program in 2015. I have proudly served as inaugural Section Chief since 2022, and I look forward to our expansion into a world-class program with continued emphasis on service to our community.
Up until 2022, Pediatric PMR was combined with Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, and due to the tremendous growth in both we are now separate sections. We are a diverse and expanding section with many backgrounds and training pathways.
We serve in many capacities around UAMS and ACH, providing care for inpatient and outpatient settings:
- Inpatient Rehabilitation: 10-bed unit housed within Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock.
- Outpatient Transdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Programs: Spinal Cord Disorders, Muscular Dystrophy/SMA/Neuromuscular Clinic, Complex Care, Concussion/Brain Injury, Habilitation
- Spasticity Management: Botulinum Toxin (Botox, Dysport, Xeomin)
- Intrathecal Baclofen Pumps are available to our patients, implanted by Neurosurgery and managed by Neurology
- Adult and outreach opportunities are available with faculty choosing to participate in these programs state-wide.
As you already know, Pediatric PMR is an enormously collaborative specialty, which is what sets Arkansas Children’s Hospital and UAMS apart from other programs nationwide. We have a tight-knit community of like-minded physicians invested in patient care, spanning a multitude of specialists from those you are used to seeing (Neurosurgery, Neurology, Orthopedics) to those you may not be used to partnering with (Pulmonology, Nephrology, Endocrinology). Arkansas Children’s Hospital is home dedicated and team-oriented individuals you will meet.
I would love an opportunity to tell you more about our section. We are actively recruiting to grow our team. Please explore our page and reach out to me via email to learn more. I look forward to talking with you further.
Yours,
Laura Hobart-Porter, DO, FAAPMR, FAAP