Richard L. Harvey, MD

About Me

Richard L. Harvey, MD, is the David W. Trott Clinical Chair of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Brain Innovation Center, and the Wesley and Suzanne Dixon Stroke Chair of Stroke Rehabilitation Research. He is also a Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. 

Dr. Harvey’s research focuses on novel approaches to task-oriented therapy and the role of neuromodulation as an adjunct to movement recovery after stroke. He was the lead investigator of the NICHE (Navigated Inhibitory rTMS to Contralesional Hemisphere) and E-FIT (Electric Field Navigated 1 hZ rTMS for Post-stroke Motor Recovery) multicenter trials on navigated brain stimulation for upper-limb recovery after stroke.

In addition, his research has included studies on neuromodulation for post-stroke dysphagia, pain management after stroke and the treatment of limb spasticity for both arm and leg. 

He earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School and completed residency training at the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences. He did additional research training as a research fellow at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (now Shirley Ryan AbilityLab) and Northwestern University (1992-93) and participated in the Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP). 

Dr. Harvey is the winner of the Sarah Baskin Award for Excellence in Research (1994), Mentor of the Year Award (2006), a Golden Apple award for excellence in resident teaching (2010) and Teacher of the Year (2016).

Co-editor of the textbook Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation, Dr. Harvey also co-authored the American Heart Association clinical guidelines for stroke rehabilitation.

He is past Chairman of the Stroke and Neurological Diseases special interest group of the Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and past Chair of the Clinical Rehabilitation section of the program committee for the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference. He has served as Chair of the Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery Council of the American Heart Association. He is also the Director of the Department of PM&R resident research training program for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.