William Pomilla

Dr. William Pomilla serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Penn State University College of Medicine. He holds multiple leadership positions including Director of Stroke Rehabilitation at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Co-Director of the Stroke Program at Penn State Health Rehabilitation Hospital. Additionally, he serves as a reviewing member of the clinical competency committee and staff physician on the CARF committee.

• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency, Downstate Medical Center (2007-2010)
• General Surgery Internship, Hahnemann University Hospital (2006-2007)
• MD, Ross University School of Medicine (2001-2006)
• BS in Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Old Westbury (1993-1999)

Dr. Pomilla's research spans stroke rehabilitation, peripheral artery disease, and cognitive function in aging populations. His work examines the relationship between physical activity, vascular health, and cognitive outcomes, with particular focus on metabolic syndrome and its complications. He has established a strong research program investigating gait analysis, mobility metrics, and rehabilitation interventions for stroke and vascular disease patients.

His publication record shows a clear trajectory from vascular rehabilitation research toward increasingly sophisticated investigations of the intersection between physical activity, vascular health, and cognitive function. The most recent publications demonstrate an expanding focus on the neurological implications of vascular disease and how physical activity interventions might mitigate cognitive decline.

• Exceptional Moments in Teaching Recognition (student-nominated, 2020)

As an educator, Dr. Pomilla serves as the stroke didactic course director for students at Penn State Health Rehabilitation Hospital and has provided weekly stroke rehabilitation teaching rounds to residents, therapists and staff since 2015. He regularly lectures for physical medicine and rehabilitation residents, speaks at departmental Grand Rounds, and teaches medical students during rotations. His external professional activities include serving as a reviewer for Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Quarterly since 2020.

Dr. Pomilla leads multiple collaborative research initiatives including the data safety and monitoring board for the clinical research study 'Predicting Ipsilateral Deficits in Stroke with Dynamic Model' and two major studies with Dr. Andrew Gardner examining diet/exercise interventions in peripheral artery disease and vascular determinants of gait and cognition dysfunction. His future research plans include investigating transcranial electrical stimulation in acute post-stroke patients.