A Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for a PM&R Residency

Welcome to the step-by-step guide for applying to a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) residency. This guide reflects the most current practices in residency recruitment, including expanded program signaling, the implementation of a standardized letter of evaluation (SLOE), and enhancements to the ERAS application platform. Whether you're a fourth-year medical student or planning ahead, this resource is designed to help you prepare a competitive, strategic application. Also, be sure to check out the Medical School Roadmap to PM&R 4th-year medical student section for details about the application process itself (e.g., personal statement, letters of recommendation, standardized letter of evaluation (SLOE), USMLE Step 2 testing, and away rotations).

• What's New for the 2026 PM&R Match?
• Finding an ACGME-Accredited PM&R Residency Program
• Selecting a Program for Application
  • PGY1 Training
  • Pediatric PM&R
• Interviewing
• Match Program: The PM&R Match

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What's New for the 2026 PM&R Match?

• Target Programs That Match Your Interests: Consider culture, clinical training, and regional alignment.
• Balance Your List: Send signals to a mix of reach, target, and safety programs.
• Avoid Overselling Big Names: High-volume programs send many signals and might prioritize them less.

Applicant Tips

• Signal where you have rotated or plan to rotate.
• Use signals to reinforce geographic preference.
• Combine signaling with a tailored personal statement or SLOE when possible.

Standardized Letter of Evaluation (SLOE): New for PM&R

What Is a SLOE? The PM&R-specific SLOE is a recently adopted evaluation tool modeled after systems in other specialties like Emergency Medicine. It standardizes the review of applicants to promote fairer comparisons.

Why It Matters

• Provides a uniform format and content for all applicants.
• Emphasizes clinical performance, professionalism, and fit for PM&R.
• Strongly encouraged by most residency programs.

Recommendations

• Obtain at least one SLOE from a PM&R rotation at your home or away institution.
• Ask faculty familiar with the SLOE format to complete it.
• Include it among your three letters of recommendation.

Finding an ACGME-Accredited PM&R Residency Program

Ways to research both intern year (PGY1) and residency training programs include:

• Visit the Residents section of the AAPM&R website and view a map of PM&R programs in the U.S. and find out more information on PM&R residency training.
• Use the American Medical Association Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access System (AMA-FREIDA). For more information, visit the AMA-FREIDA Web site.
• Access the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) POD to filter programs based on various criteria, such as the number of electives, whether moonlighting is permitted, and Veteran’s Administration (VA) exposure, among many other options.
• Talk with current PM&R residents and attendings at your institution.

Selecting a Program for Application

Facts and Figures

• 115 ACGME-accredited programs across 34 states and the District of Columbia. 

Seek advice about specific residency programs from a wide variety of sources including:

• Attend the AAPM&R Annual Assembly’s Residency Fair as part of the Medical Student Program.
• 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) to identify resources in your area.
• Talk with your PM&R department chair, program director, or other PM&R faculty.
• Ask PM&R residents and fellows at your institution.
• Talk with your PM&R student interest group.
• 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.
• Check program websites directly—application requirements, curriculum, research opportunities, etc.

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 hospital.
    • In addition, some programs are structured as a joint venture between academic institutions and for-profit rehabilitation systems.
  • Availability of PM&R subspecialty expertise (i.e., Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Pediatric Rehabilitation, Musculoskeletal, or Pain Specialists).
• Area of interest:
  • Academic career: Consider 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 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 website 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. After ACGME review, a program is issued accreditation for a certain number of years before requiring another site visit, with a 10-year accreditation being the highest. If a program is on probation, make sure to inquire why they were cited and what is being done to remediate any problems identified.
• Benefits: Inquire about resident benefits at each program, including ability to attending conferences locally and nationally, reimbursement for conference participation, reimbursement for memberships to professional organizations such as the AAPM&R, book funds, salary, and health benefits.
• Location:
  •  If you want to pursue a career in clinical practice, keep in mind that many residents choose to practice in the same area where they trained. During training, you typically become familiar with employment opportunities and practicing physiatrists and groups in the region.
  • Residency can be stressful, so having proximity to family, friends, and your social support network is valuable.
  • Consider your own hobbies and interests. It’s important that you train in a location where you will be happy living for at least 3-4 years.
  • Cost of living varies by location. Consider your expenses, expected stipend, and the cost of living in each city to determine if it fits your budget.

• Size of residency program: PM&R residency programs can have anywhere from 2 to 14 residents per class. A smaller or larger residency offers both advantages and disadvantages, depending on the program. Consider your learning style and the environment that would be best for your education. Be sure to talk with current residents to see if the program is a good fit for you.
• Patient-to-resident ratio: Ask specifically about the ratio on the inpatient service and the team structure. Some programs have senior residents who round on the inpatient service, whereas in other programs you may be interacting directly with the attending. You should also inquire about the average number of inpatient consults seen per month.
• Selectivity/competitiveness of the program: Ask your medical school's PM&R department chair and other PM&R faculty for help in estimating both the selectivity of training programs and applicant competitiveness. You can also review the NRMP Program Director Survey for specific information.
• Quality of Resident Life: Several factors influence a resident's quality of life. A helpful way to assess this is by speaking with current residents. Ask about call schedules, 
• Board Pass Rate and Post-Graduate Plans of Residents: Ask each residency program about their board pass rates over the past several years and the steps they've taken to prepare their residents for the boards (such as doing a SAE-P or AAPM&R’s Qbank questions together, mock oral boards, etc.). Also, inquire about the post-graduate plans of the residents in the program. Did their graduates pursue private practice or academic medicine? Did they go on to fellowship training? How successful have their residents been in obtaining fellowships?

PGY1 Training

Several residencies, such as radiation oncology, neurology, and dermatology, begin after a year of preliminary training. Some PM&R programs include a PGY1 year and PGY2-4 years, called categorical positions. However, most PM&R residency programs offer only PGY2-4 or advanced positions. As a result, you will usually need to apply for a separate preliminary year (i.e., internship) alongside your PM&R residency during the summer of your fourth year in medical school.

Internships can be completed through Internal Medicine, Surgery, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, or a rotating osteopathic (DO) or transitional year (MD).

If you are applying to:

• A residency program that offers both categorical and advanced positions benefits applicants to rank both options to maximize their chances of matching.
• Only for advanced positions, you will need to apply and rank separately for an internship year alongside your PM&R Residency.
• Programs with a variety of categorical and advanced options, but you still need to rank and apply for a separate internship if you do not match with a categorical position.
• Also consider ranking preliminary year positions only at the bottom of your list if you do not match into a categorical or advanced position. However, be aware that matching to one of these will disqualify you from attempting to SOAP into an open PM&R spot.

Pediatric PM&R

There are currently two ways to enter into pediatric rehabilitation:

• Medical students can apply for a combined pediatrics and PM&R residency program, which is a five-year program offered by a few select institutions. These programs may vary each year and include Cincinnati Children’s/University of Cincinnati PM&R (one spot annually), Jefferson/DuPont Hospital for Children (one spot annually), Northwestern/Shirley Ryan Ability Lab (one spot annually), and University of Colorado Denver (one spot annually). Alternatively, you can also pursue a two-year pediatric rehabilitation fellowship after completing your PM&R residency. 
• Medical students can also complete a PM&R residency and then apply for a pediatric rehabilitation fellowship. After finishing this two-year fellowship, graduates are eligible to sit for both PM&R and pediatric rehabilitation board certification exams. Applicants usually apply for pediatric rehabilitation fellowships in the spring of their PGY-3 year.

Interviewing

• Talk with each program to understand their scheduling process. Most PM&R programs begin interviewing in late October or November, continuing as late as January or February. Since interview invites are typically sent via email, it is crucial to check your email frequently during interview season. Each program has a limited number of interview slots, which can fill up quickly; therefore, responding promptly to emails can improve your chances of securing your preferred interview date. If you're interested in a program but cannot schedule an interview, it is important to be proactive and let them know you remain interested in case a spot opens up.
• You will be invited for interviews based on your timely and complete submission of credentials, personal statement, Dean's letter, transcript, and letters of recommendation, all of which can be uploaded onto ERAS. The interview day is the best opportunity to gather more information about the program and to learn about the resident’s perspective. You will likely be interviewed by several interviewers (usually 2-4), including faculty, chief residents, and fellows. It is best to prepare for interviews by researching specific programs—residency websites are often a great place to start. Be ready to answer common questions such as why you are applying to their program, what makes you a good fit, why you are entering the field of PM&R, and what your career goals are.
• It is also helpful to prepare a few specific questions to ask your interviewer, as they will likely ask if you have any questions. Engage with the current residents at each program as much as possible, as this provides a great opportunity to gauge how they feel about the program and whether you would fit in with the people there. Some programs host a dinner or social event the night before the interview day, either in person or on Zoom. Attending these events is highly recommended if possible, as it allows you to interact with residents in a casual setting, ask informal questions, get a sense of the camaraderie and atmosphere, and see if the residents seem happy and satisfied with their experience. After your interview day, you might consider sending a thank-you email to your interviewers and the program coordinator. However, this does not impact your ranking and is generally seen as good manners.
• After your interviews are finished, you need to prepare and submit a ranking list of programs to the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), usually due by mid to late February. You can rank as many or as few of the programs where you had interviews. The ranking is often the most important part of the application process, so it's highly recommended to choose your list carefully!

Match Program: The PM&R Match

PM&R Programs use ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) for resident applications and NRMP to match residency positions. All allopathic and osteopathic PM&R and internship programs utilize ERAS for the application process. Typically, you will upload all necessary documents (such as personal statement, USMLE/COMLEX scores, MSPE, transcript, Dean’s letter, SLOE, letters of recommendation, photo) onto ERAS. 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 U.S. medical school seniors matching to programs has generally been 95-98% over the past 10 years. It is also important to keep in mind that PM&R has also become an increasingly popular and competitive specialty amongst medical students. View the ERAS Match Timeline for all the latest dates.

Final Thoughts

• Applying for residency is an exciting process that requires careful planning and organization. This period can also become easily overwhelming (i.e., traveling, scheduling, etc.), so it is important to find some time for yourself throughout this journey.
• These recommendations serve as a guide to help you decide on a residency. Everyone is different, and we all have priorities that influence our choices. The best program for you is usually the one that feels like the right fit during your interview day. If you still have questions after your interviews or are undecided between two programs as your top choice, it might be helpful to revisit a program (or a few) for a day or two. Most programs are happy to arrange this if you reach out to the chief residents or program coordinator.
• Remember to utilize all resources available through the AAPM&R to guide your application process. Reach out to chief residents and other residents via the AAPM&R PhyzForum, review sample CVs on the resident resource website, plan out PM&R residencies in your preferred areas, and explore many more options.