Applying for a residency can be a complicated process. Learn more about the four steps of applying to residency by clicking on the links below.
Finding an ACGME-Accredited PM&R Residency Program
Ways to research both intern year (PGY1) and residency training programs include:
- Using the American Medical Association Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access System (AMA-FREIDA). For more information, visit the AMA-FREIDA Web site.
- Talk with current PM&R residents and attendings at your institution.
Selecting a Program for Application
Seek advice about specific residency programs from a wide variety of sources including:
- Talk with your PM&R department chair, program director, or other PM&R faculty.
- Ask PM&R residents and fellows at your institution.
- Check with your graduate medical education office and see if there are any alumni that matched into PM&R who might be able give you some insight.
- Talk with your medical school advisor.
- If you are at a medical school with no associated PM&R department or program, please contact the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) which can help identify resources in your area.
Consider the following factors when selecting programs:
- Academic environment:
- Education curriculum (Lecture schedule, protected study time, etc.)
- Conference schedule
- Research activity and opportunities
- Facilities
- Some programs are based at a free standing rehabilitation hospital and others have an inpatient rehabilitation floor within an acute care setting.
- Availability of PM&R subspecialty expertise (i.e. Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Pediatric Rehabilitation, Musculoskeletal, or Pain Specialists)
- Board pass rate
- Area of interest:
- Academic career: Look at university-based programs with a well-balanced faculty involved in full-time teaching and research commitments
- Subspecialty interest: Seek out programs with a well developed division in a specific area, in order to facilitate introduction to research and more specialized practice (e.g., spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, pediatrics) and to determine which programs might offer a fellowship in that area after completion of residency
- Accreditation: Check the ACGME Web site and research the accreditation status of residency programs. Residency programs are routinely reviewed and given accreditation status. It is good to know if the program you are applying to is accredited or on probation. If a program is on probation, make sure to inquire why they were cited and what is being done to remediate any problems identified.
- Information: A majority of residency programs have Web sites with detailed information about their program. You can also contact the programs directly if you have specific questions.
- Size of residency program: The size of PM&R residency programs can range from 3–15 residents per class. Having a small versus large residency has both pluses and minuses and is program dependent. Make sure to speak with current residents to determine if the program is a good fit for you.
- Patient-to-resident ratio: Ask specifically about the patient-to-resident ratio on the inpatient service and the structure of the team. Some programs have senior residents that round on the inpatient service or you may be interacting with the attending directly. You should also inquire about the average inpatient consults seen per month.
- Location: If you want to go into clinical practice, remember that many residents go into practice in the same geographical area where they trained. During the training process, you usually become familiar with employment opportunities and practicing physiatrists and groups in the area.
- Selectivity/competitiveness of the program: Ask your medical school's PM&R department chair and other PM&R faculty for assistance in estimating both the selectivity of training programs and applicant competitiveness. You can also check out the NRMP Program Director Survey for specific information.
- Quality of Resident Life: There are several factors that play into the quality of life of a resident. A good way to gauge quality of life is by talking with the current residents. Inquire about call schedules, camaraderie among residents, local recreational activities, etc.
- Post-Graduate Plans of Residents: You should inquire about the post-graduate plans of the residents in the program. Did their graduates go into private versus academic medicine? Did they pursue fellowship training? How successful have their residents been in obtaining a fellowship?
PGY1 Training
There are a number of residencies (i.e. radiation oncology, neurology, dermatology, etc.) that start residency after a year of prerequisite training. A majority of PM&R residences offer advanced positions which include Post-Graduate Years 2-4 only. Therefore, you typically will have to apply for a separate prerequisite year (i.e. internship) along with your PM&R residency program during the summer of your 4th year in medical school.
Internship can be done through internal medicine, surgery, family medicine, pediatrics, a rotating osteopathic (DO) or transitional year (MD). There are some PM&R programs that include a PGY1 year and PGY2-4 years, which are called categorical positions. However, a majority of the PM&R residency programs offer only PGY2-4 or advanced positions.
If you applying to:
- A residency program that offers both categorical and advanced positions, it is the applicant's advantage to rank both positions and maximize their chance of matching.
- Only advanced positions, you will need to apply and rank for a separate internship year along with your PM&R Residency.
- Programs with a variety of categorical and advanced options, you still need to rank and apply for a separate internship in case you do not match for a categorical position.
Osteopathic Medical Students and PM&R
There are a couple of issues that are unique to osteopathic medical students applying to the match.
- ERAS
- July 1 marks the date that medical students (allopathic and osteopathic) can start working on their ERAS Application. However, osteopathic applicants can begin submitting their ERAS applications to osteopathic (internship) programs only starting on July 15. Applicants applying to ACGME programs (internship or residency) can submit their application starting on September 1.
- Internship
- Osteopathic medical students are eligible to apply for all internships as listed above including an osteopathic rotating internship. Because the osteopathic match is one month earlier than the allopathic match, osteopathic medical students should be aware of a couple of things.
- If your plan is to match into a categorical PM&R position and you match for an osteopathic internship in February, you will not be eligible for that position during the allopathic match in March.
- If you plan on completing an osteopathic internship and an allopathic PM&R residency, you will find out where you match in February and then March (respectively).
- If you are interviewing at both allopathic and osteopathic internships and you match into an osteopathic internship, you will no longer be eligible for any allopathic internships in March.
If you have any other questions regarding osteopathic internships and the Match, please contact your academic advisor or the American Osteopathic Association.
Pediatric PM&R
There are currently two ways to enter into pediatric rehabilitation:
- Medical students can apply for a combined pediatrics / PM&R residency program, which is a five-year program including a PGY1 year. Graduates are eligible to sit for pediatric, PM&R, and pediatric rehabilitation board certifications.
- Medical students can also complete PM&R residency and then apply for a pediatric rehabilitation fellowship. After completion of this two-year fellowship, graduates are eligible to sit for PM&R and pediatric rehabilitation board certification. Applicants typically apply for pediatric rehabilitation fellowships in the spring of their PGY3 year.
Interviewing
Talk with each program to get an idea of scheduling. Most PM&R programs start interviewing in late October/November and as late as January/February.
You will be invited for interviews based on your submitted credentials, personal statement, Dean's letter, and letters of recommendation. The interview and visit to each program is the best opportunity to gather more information. Prepare for interviews by reading about the programs and have a list of questions ready, including why you are applying to their program. Meeting with the house staff to get their candid impressions of the program is an important part of the interview process.
After interviews are complete, you must prepare and submit a ranking list of programs to the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) which is typically due in the middle to end of February.
Match Program: The PM&R Match
PM&R Programs utilize ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) for resident applications and the NRMP to match the residency positions. Essentially all allopathic and osteopathic PM&R and internship programs use ERAS for the application process. NRMP is the matching program where you finalize your program rank list. Contact ERAS and NRMP for more information about the Match process and specific deadlines.
The Match process in PM&R is generally quite favorable. The percentage of US medical school seniors matching to programs has generally been 95-98% in the past 10 years.
Final Thoughts
Applying for residency is a very exciting time that requires a lot of planning and organization. These recommendations are just an outline to help guide your decision in choosing residency. Every person is different and we all have our priorities that play into our choices. One of the most important factors that you should listen to as an applicant is your gut instinct. If there is something telling you that you will not be comfortable at a program, this is something that you may want to factor in to your rank list.
Best of luck!
2010 Resident Physician Council Board
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