Dr. Patel earned her medical degree from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB). She completed her internship training at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School. After finishing her physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, she completed a fellowship in pain management at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California.

Prior to becoming affiliated with the Mischer Neuroscience Institute, Dr. Patel was on staff at the Rehabilitation Specialist of Chicago Group where she focused on inpatient rehabilitation. She has presented research at several national conferences, and her work has been published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as well as in Free Radical Biology and Medicine. Dr. Patel’s most current research is focused on subcutaneous and peripheral nerve stimulation for the treatment of Horton’s neuralgia and chronic paroxysmal hemicranias, and kyphophlasty for treating vertebral compression fracture.