Dr. Sandra L. Hearn

Sandra Hearn is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at Michigan Medicine. After completing her undergraduate and medical degrees at Harvard University in Boston, she pursued residency training in PM&R through Case Western Reserve University at the MetroHealth Rehabilitation Institute in Cleveland. She relocated to Ann Arbor in 2015 and joined Michigan Medicine. She is board certified in PM&R and in Electrodiagnostic Medicine.Dr. Hearn enjoys helping patients and clinicians gain a clearer understanding of nerve and muscle conditions through electrodiagnostic medicine. Her research focuses on electrodiagnostic strategies to evaluate peripheral neurologic conditions. She enjoys teaching nationally with colleagues, building content for continuous certification examinations in electrodiagnostic medicine and serving on the Editorial Board of the journal Muscle & Nerve. In 2021, she received the Surinderjit Singh Young Lectureship Award and a Scientific Impact Award from the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine.Dr. Hearn also has a passion for and commitment to medical education, serving as the PM&R residency program director and Associate Chair of Education & Professional Development. At University of Michigan Medical School, she co-leads the preclinical musculoskeletal curriculum for first year medical students. She is enthusiastic about seeking innovative ways to kindle and guide discovery, enhance mentorship and feedback exchange between faculty and learners, and harness technology to improve clinical and educational efforts. She was recognized with Department of PM&R’s Silver Crutch Teaching Award in 2016 and Michigan Medicine’s Program Director Excellence Award in 2020.

Dr. Hearn is highly rated in 5 conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Distal Median Nerve Dysfunction, Brachial Plexopathy, Hereditary Neuralgic Amyotrophy, and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

She is actively involved in clinical research, co-authoring 21 peer reviewed articles.