Dr. Prathap Joseph, MD

Dr. P. Jacob Joseph, a highly respected physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, is Chief Medical Officer for TIRR Memorial Hermann. A key member of the TIRR medical staff since 2010, Dr. Joseph previously served as Clinical Chief of Specialty Rehabilitation Programs and Medical Director of TIRR Memorial Hermann’s International Programs.

As CMO, Dr. Joseph provides executive clinical leadership; oversees medical staff operations, patient safety, and clinical quality initiatives; and is responsible for the integration of cutting-edge rehabilitation research into patient care across the network. He also serves as Director of Physician Affairs and Services for the Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Network and continues in his role as Medical Director of International Programs.

Dr. Joseph’s primary clinical focus centers on caring for patients recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury, neurotrauma and dual diagnosis injuries (combining brain and spinal cord injuries). His clinical interests encompass traumatic brain injury, stroke, neuromuscular disorders and managing multiple traumatic injuries. In clinical practice, he partners closely with multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams to deliver compassionate treatment plans that restore mobility and maximize functional independence.

A dedicated educator and scholar, Dr. Joseph serves as Assistant Program Director for the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Program. His extensive clinical and research interests include spasticity management and electrodiagnostic medicine. He serves on the editorial board for MDMD Medical Informatics and as an invited reviewer for The Journal of the International Society of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine.

During his distinguished tenure at Memorial Hermann, Dr. Joseph has earned multiple honors for his excellence in clinical care and teaching. He has been named TIRR® Memorial Hermann's Physician of the Year three times and received the McGovern Medical School Dean's Teaching Excellence Award. 

Dr. Joseph earned his undergraduate degree in microbiology from The University of Texas at Austin and his medical degree from McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, followed by residency training at the University of Washington in Seattle. He is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation with subspecialty certification in brain injury medicine; he is also certified in electrodiagnostic medicine.

He belongs to the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the Association of Academic Physiatrists and the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine.