Elissa Charbonneau, DO
Medical Director,
New England Rehab Hospital

As a child, Dr. Charbonneau had a dream of becoming a veterinarian. “Of course, I grew up in New York City and had a dog,” she chuckles. But a dream is meant to be followed and Dr. Charbonneau chose to attend Cornell University as it has one of the best veterinarian programs in the country. During her freshman year she learned 3 important things: she was allergic to cats, she was not “into” large animals and she became a vegetarian! As often happens after the first year of college, well meant plans changed for Dr. Charbonneau and she ended up getting her masters degree in Epidemiology. It was while doing cancer research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, that she determined she would pursue a career as a physician. She was quite interested in the holistic approach to medicine that osteopathy embraces and attended New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, where Dr. Charbonneau received her D.O. degree.

During her medical rotation, Dr. Charbonneau followed stroke patients when they were discharged to the rehab floor at Coney Island Hospital. She took electives in rehabilitation at the International Center for the Disabled and Rusk Institute, both in NYC. Her dad also had a brain tumor and had rehab in the home. She often witnessed how important the rehabilitation process is to maximize functionality and believed a more successful recovery could be attributed to rehabilitative therapy. Dr. Charbonneau completed her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at Temple University with Dr. Michael Totta who was her Chief Resident. Ultimately, Dr. Totta came to Maine where he began his practice at New England Rehabilitation Hospital. Dr. Hull, the first Medical Director at NERHP, recruited Dr. Charbonneau in 1992 directly following her residency. During an interview for the New England Rehabilitation Hospital employee newsletter, The Rehab Roundup, Dr. Charbonneau commented on a few of our questions as follows:

Would you share a couple of patient scenarios with us where the care you provided resulted in the most satisfactory accomplishments of your career?
While there are many patient scenarios to draw from, Dr. Charbonneau sited two patients who made extraordinary gains. One individual was a young stroke patient who had an abnormality that didn’t make sense. A tumor was discovered and after removal, the patient regained a good deal of functionality of her left arm and the ability to walk. She has returned to leading a productive life. Another patient, an adolescent who had a brain injury while in high school, worked very hard with her nurses and therapists under Dr. Charbonneau. She not only finished high school, but college and is currently a pre-med student. An interesting note is that both of these patients are patient award winners, selected during National Rehab Week for “overcoming barriers and exceeding expectations.”

What do you feel is the most important contribution you have made to your practice, community and hospital?
With respect to the community, Dr. Charbonneau is very involved with the extracurricular activities of her two teenage children, Abby and Stephen, and participates in their various parent organizations.

Dr. Charbonneau’s contributions to NERHP and her practice are many. She is Medical Director for NERHP’s neuro-day, orthopedic and brain injury programs, and Chairperson of the Medical Executive and Utilization Review Committees. She is a member of the Governor’s Committee for Neuroscience at MMC and is on the neuro trauma team at MMC. She is president of the Maine Society of PM&R and selected as a member of the President’s Council of the American Academy of PM&R. Dr. Charbonneau is also a member of the American Osteopathic Association, Maine Osteopathic Association, American Academy of Neurologic and Electrodiagnostic Medicine and the Maine Brain Injury Association.

If I were to ask your children to describe you, what would they say?
“That I am a pain in the bleep.” (Lots of laughter on this question!) Dr. Charbonneau thinks Abby and Stephen would say she is very strict and she worries a lot. “And I’m sure they would say I’m the greatest mom!”

What do you do for relaxation?
Dr. Charbonneau is an exercise enthusiast and enjoys tennis, skiing, working out and walking the family dog. She also loves to read and cook.

What is your favorite author and book?
Speaking of reading, Dr. Charbonneau belongs to a book club and reads quite a bit. Her favorite author is F. Scott Fitzgerald and his famous novel “The Great Gatsby.”

"tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning-- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Ch. 9

Name your top three favorite movies?
Moonstruck, My Cousin Vinnie and Sophie’s Choice. “I’m eclectic.”

What is your favorite meal?
A vegetarian since veterinary days, and person who loves to cook, Dr. Charbonneau enjoys a good stir fry and brown rice. We’re not sure how well that would go with a mint julep at Jay Gatsby’s table.