Best teaching programs?

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SportsMed09

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Hi everyone, I'm about to become a 3rd year med student who is EXTREMELY interested in PM&R. I would like to go into sports medicine (obviously), and I was wondering which programs do the best job of teaching their residents about ALL that PM&R has to offer. While I know what I would like to specialize in, I don't want to limit my knowledge base. Also, I was wondering what websites you all would recommend which give reviews of various programs. I have seen scutwork.com, but the feedback is so limited that it is easy to smear a program if one person had a bad experience. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

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For teaching, I would divide things into large and small programs

For large programs, Kessler and RIC are both known for the strength of their didactics. One benefit for those programs is that because of the large number of residents, the residents spend a lot of time teaching each other, which is a particular strength of both of those programs

For some of the smaller programs, one strength is that because of the smaller size of those programs, it makes it easier to get one on one time with the attendings as a mentor. Examples of this model working well are Indiana (with Ralph Buschbacher and Greg Strock), Virginia (with Bob Wilder), Arkansas (with Gary Chimes and Patrick Kortebein), and Kansas (with Jim McLean)

If I were in your position, I would make my top priority trying to find a mentor who would help guide you and advocate for you when going through your training. Try reaching out to those people now, and then as you go through the interview process, try to meet as many of these people as possible. Hopefully, you'll find a situation that makes a great fit for you. I know for me, Gerry Malanga at Kessler and many of the people at RIC were great mentors for me. Hopefully, you'll have a similarly good experience wherever you go.
 
Hi everyone, I'm about to become a 3rd year med student who is EXTREMELY interested in PM&R. I would like to go into sports medicine (obviously), and I was wondering which programs do the best job of teaching their residents about ALL that PM&R has to offer. While I know what I would like to specialize in, I don't want to limit my knowledge base. Also, I was wondering what websites you all would recommend which give reviews of various programs. I have seen scutwork.com, but the feedback is so limited that it is easy to smear a program if one person had a bad experience. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

I think you can start by looking at programs with sports/MSK fellowships as many fellows are very involved in the teaching process at residencies. Some that come to mind are Mayo, RIC, and Kessler. (Similarly, for those interested in specific aspects like SCI or TBI - I would look for programs with fellowships.) Most of the "better known residencies" are well rounded - UMich, Baylor, UWash, Temple, Jefferson, etc.

The reviews on scutwork do tend to be outdated and biased but it's a good start. If you have questions about specific programs, it might help to go to the aapmr website and look for a resident mentor at that program OR look at the sdn roster and pm residents at those programs.

There are gems in various geographic locations and it's hard to generalize. Some other programs in addition to what rehab_sports_dr listed include: UVa (Dr. Kerrigan - especially w runners), Utah, Colorado, Buffalo, St. Louis (Dr. Heidi Prather).

I'm sure I forgot to mention some excellent programs but I have post-call fog so this is the best I can do right now. :sleep:
 
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For teaching, I would divide things into large and small programs

For large programs, Kessler and RIC are both known for the strength of their didactics. One benefit for those programs is that because of the large number of residents, the residents spend a lot of time teaching each other, which is a particular strength of both of those programs

For some of the smaller programs, one strength is that because of the smaller size of those programs, it makes it easier to get one on one time with the attendings as a mentor. Examples of this model working well are Indiana (with Ralph Buschbacher and Greg Strock), Virginia (with Bob Wilder), Arkansas (with Gary Chimes and Patrick Kortebein), and Kansas (with Jim McLean)

Things that make you say hmmm ... can you say conflict of interest?
 
It was pointed out to me that some may feel my prior post may not have had full disclosure....

I have never hid my affilitiation with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and it is not my intention to mislead anyone. I have tried to be fairminded and mention a multitude of programs that provide quality teaching

As is the case of everyone on these forums, I feel it is appropriate to speak highly of a program you are affiliated with. I mentioned the quality of mentorship and teaching associated with UAMS in the context of many other programs that also are known for their teaching and mentorship, and if anything, I made an effort not to overstate the virtues of UAMS.

Objectively speaking, though, the quality of teaching at UAMS is truly excellent. For example, they are one of the only institutions in the country to have a program designed specifically for improving the teaching qualities of their attendings. This program, the Teaching Scholars program (http://www.uams.edu/teachingscholars/) is an example of Arkansas putting its money where its mouth is, and actually rewarding the faculty for being excellent teachers.

UAMS has been a leader in actively developing new teaching methodologies. They currently have one of only 2 residents in the country representing the field of PM+R at the Association of American Medical Colleges, with the goal of improving the quality of medical education, and the have faculty who are alumni of that program.

So from an objective basis, I think it is completely appropriate to consider Arkansas one of the leaders in terms of quality teaching.

From a subjective level, for me its a no brainer that Arkansas is one of the best teaching programs in the country. I had a choice of many places where I could join faculty, and the biggest determinant for me was where I would be able to help the residents the most through teaching and mentorship. I spent an exhaustive amount of time and effort seeking out the best place, and I came to conclusion that Arkansas was the best place in the country to do this. So, for this sample size of one person, I thought Arkansas was the #1 place in the country to be.

I realize that this may not seem obvious to many people, so here are some of the assetts that make Arkansas a great place to be, especially for a medical student whose goal is a great teaching experience, and particularly for sports medicine, musculoskeletal medicine, and spine medicine.

#1: the Jackson T. Stephens spine Center. I have been to the infrastructure of many, if not most, of the top institutions in the country, and I think it is fair to say that the Stephens Spine center is one of the nicest centers in the country. Many bigger name programs have nothing that compares to it. For more details, please check: http://www.uams.edu/stephensinstitute/default.asp

#2: the teaching scholars program. As mentioned before, Arkansas is one of the few programs in the country that has mechanisms in the place to ensure that the faculty are excellent teachers.

#3: Contracts that reward teaching. You can tell what the priorities of an institution are by what they pay for. While I won't divulge the specifics of my contract, I will note that faculty are financially renumerated for their teaching. Again, an example of UAMS putting their money where their mouth is in terms of the quality of teaching

#4: Understanding the importance of outpatient MSK. The chair and program director made his name in falls research. The associate program director is an outpatient MSK/sports/spine physician. This is different than many other institutions, where the people in leadership of the residents have their primary clinical appointments in inpatient medicine. I think that is an important pro factor for people who are interested in outpatient MSK sports

#5: Lack of competition. UAMS is the only teaching institution in the state of Arkansas. That is a fairly unusual situation, and presents a world of opportunity for residents. They are affiliated with the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, which is a Division I sports program. Again, that is an unusual opportunity for residents in PM+R
--------------

So, bottom line- I have tried to be fair-minded in response to the question that was asked- what are quality programs that emphasize teaching and may be a good choice for residents interested in sports medicine. I certainly think that is reasonable to include Arkansas in the discussion of those programs, along with some of the other's that I listed, some of the programs that axm listed, and some of the others that have been listed in other threads.
 
Anyone know anything about the quality of University of Washington's programs?
 
It was pointed out to me that some may feel my prior post may not have had full disclosure....

I have never hid my affilitiation with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and it is not my intention to mislead anyone. I have tried to be fairminded and mention a multitude of programs that provide quality teaching

As is the case of everyone on these forums, I feel it is appropriate to speak highly of a program you are affiliated with. I mentioned the quality of mentorship and teaching associated with UAMS in the context of many other programs that also are known for their teaching and mentorship, and if anything, I made an effort not to overstate the virtues of UAMS.

Objectively speaking, though, the quality of teaching at UAMS is truly excellent. For example, they are one of the only institutions in the country to have a program designed specifically for improving the teaching qualities of their attendings. This program, the Teaching Scholars program (http://www.uams.edu/teachingscholars/) is an example of Arkansas putting its money where its mouth is, and actually rewarding the faculty for being excellent teachers.

UAMS has been a leader in actively developing new teaching methodologies. They currently have one of only 2 residents in the country representing the field of PM+R at the Association of American Medical Colleges, with the goal of improving the quality of medical education, and the have faculty who are alumni of that program.

So from an objective basis, I think it is completely appropriate to consider Arkansas one of the leaders in terms of quality teaching.

From a subjective level, for me its a no brainer that Arkansas is one of the best teaching programs in the country. I had a choice of many places where I could join faculty, and the biggest determinant for me was where I would be able to help the residents the most through teaching and mentorship. I spent an exhaustive amount of time and effort seeking out the best place, and I came to conclusion that Arkansas was the best place in the country to do this. So, for this sample size of one person, I thought Arkansas was the #1 place in the country to be.

I realize that this may not seem obvious to many people, so here are some of the assetts that make Arkansas a great place to be, especially for a medical student whose goal is a great teaching experience, and particularly for sports medicine, musculoskeletal medicine, and spine medicine.

#1: the Jackson T. Stephens spine Center. I have been to the infrastructure of many, if not most, of the top institutions in the country, and I think it is fair to say that the Stephens Spine center is one of the nicest centers in the country. Many bigger name programs have nothing that compares to it. For more details, please check: http://www.uams.edu/stephensinstitute/default.asp

#2: the teaching scholars program. As mentioned before, Arkansas is one of the few programs in the country that has mechanisms in the place to ensure that the faculty are excellent teachers.

#3: Contracts that reward teaching. You can tell what the priorities of an institution are by what they pay for. While I won't divulge the specifics of my contract, I will note that faculty are financially renumerated for their teaching. Again, an example of UAMS putting their money where their mouth is in terms of the quality of teaching

#4: Understanding the importance of outpatient MSK. The chair and program director made his name in falls research. The associate program director is an outpatient MSK/sports/spine physician. This is different than many other institutions, where the people in leadership of the residents have their primary clinical appointments in inpatient medicine. I think that is an important pro factor for people who are interested in outpatient MSK sports

#5: Lack of competition. UAMS is the only teaching institution in the state of Arkansas. That is a fairly unusual situation, and presents a world of opportunity for residents. They are affiliated with the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, which is a Division I sports program. Again, that is an unusual opportunity for residents in PM+R
--------------

So, bottom line- I have tried to be fair-minded in response to the question that was asked- what are quality programs that emphasize teaching and may be a good choice for residents interested in sports medicine. I certainly think that is reasonable to include Arkansas in the discussion of those programs, along with some of the other's that I listed, some of the programs that axm listed, and some of the others that have been listed in other threads.


I applaud your honesty, integrity, candor, and most importantly enthusiasm for your institution. Many academicians are burned out and have lost the core ideals in educating their residents and fellows.
 
Was all this put in place because of their probabtion status? Just curiuos...
They were on probation for 2 years.

http://www.acgme.org/adspublic/default.asp




It was pointed out to me that some may feel my prior post may not have had full disclosure....

I have never hid my affilitiation with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and it is not my intention to mislead anyone. I have tried to be fairminded and mention a multitude of programs that provide quality teaching

As is the case of everyone on these forums, I feel it is appropriate to speak highly of a program you are affiliated with. I mentioned the quality of mentorship and teaching associated with UAMS in the context of many other programs that also are known for their teaching and mentorship, and if anything, I made an effort not to overstate the virtues of UAMS.

Objectively speaking, though, the quality of teaching at UAMS is truly excellent. For example, they are one of the only institutions in the country to have a program designed specifically for improving the teaching qualities of their attendings. This program, the Teaching Scholars program (http://www.uams.edu/teachingscholars/) is an example of Arkansas putting its money where its mouth is, and actually rewarding the faculty for being excellent teachers.

UAMS has been a leader in actively developing new teaching methodologies. They currently have one of only 2 residents in the country representing the field of PM+R at the Association of American Medical Colleges, with the goal of improving the quality of medical education, and the have faculty who are alumni of that program.

So from an objective basis, I think it is completely appropriate to consider Arkansas one of the leaders in terms of quality teaching.

From a subjective level, for me its a no brainer that Arkansas is one of the best teaching programs in the country. I had a choice of many places where I could join faculty, and the biggest determinant for me was where I would be able to help the residents the most through teaching and mentorship. I spent an exhaustive amount of time and effort seeking out the best place, and I came to conclusion that Arkansas was the best place in the country to do this. So, for this sample size of one person, I thought Arkansas was the #1 place in the country to be.

I realize that this may not seem obvious to many people, so here are some of the assetts that make Arkansas a great place to be, especially for a medical student whose goal is a great teaching experience, and particularly for sports medicine, musculoskeletal medicine, and spine medicine.

#1: the Jackson T. Stephens spine Center. I have been to the infrastructure of many, if not most, of the top institutions in the country, and I think it is fair to say that the Stephens Spine center is one of the nicest centers in the country. Many bigger name programs have nothing that compares to it. For more details, please check: http://www.uams.edu/stephensinstitute/default.asp

#2: the teaching scholars program. As mentioned before, Arkansas is one of the few programs in the country that has mechanisms in the place to ensure that the faculty are excellent teachers.

#3: Contracts that reward teaching. You can tell what the priorities of an institution are by what they pay for. While I won't divulge the specifics of my contract, I will note that faculty are financially renumerated for their teaching. Again, an example of UAMS putting their money where their mouth is in terms of the quality of teaching

#4: Understanding the importance of outpatient MSK. The chair and program director made his name in falls research. The associate program director is an outpatient MSK/sports/spine physician. This is different than many other institutions, where the people in leadership of the residents have their primary clinical appointments in inpatient medicine. I think that is an important pro factor for people who are interested in outpatient MSK sports

#5: Lack of competition. UAMS is the only teaching institution in the state of Arkansas. That is a fairly unusual situation, and presents a world of opportunity for residents. They are affiliated with the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, which is a Division I sports program. Again, that is an unusual opportunity for residents in PM+R
--------------

So, bottom line- I have tried to be fair-minded in response to the question that was asked- what are quality programs that emphasize teaching and may be a good choice for residents interested in sports medicine. I certainly think that is reasonable to include Arkansas in the discussion of those programs, along with some of the other's that I listed, some of the programs that axm listed, and some of the others that have been listed in other threads.
 
Was all this put in place because of their probabtion status? Just curiuos...
They were on probation for 2 years.


Fair question. The answer is no. The UAMS scholars program has been in place for 10 years, and exists for departments other than PM+R.

I think the PM+R department has just serendipitously benefited from a confluence of events that have allowed it to become a stronger department. Those are:

1. The building of the Stephens Spine Center. They didn't build the Spine Center specifically for PM+R, but the PM+R department is probably the main beneficiary. They did not have a presence on the main UAMS campus before, now they do. They just happened to benefit from the generosity of Jackson T. Stephens, who built a $48 million spine center. A gift of $48 million goes a long way in building a department

2. Bill Evans. For those who don't know, he is the PhD advisor of Walter Frontera (former chair at Spaulding, now the Dean in Puerto Rico). He has built a group of researchers at the center for the aging (http://centeronaging.uams.edu/) that is probably the center for the aging in the world. They recently were one of the lead stories in JAMA. Because of Bill Evans, Bob Wolff, Arny Ferrando, and the research group there, they have been able to attract faculty who have an interest in research in the aging fro ma PM+R perspective.

3. Walmart, Tyson Foods, etc.- because of the rapid growth of money into Arkansas, the state now has revenue to help build UAMS into a powerhouse. They already have focused on cancer center and the center for the aging, and they have made the spine one of their next major initiatives.

4. Sports center- because of another large endowment, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock now has a new $20 million sports center

The confluence of all these events are to some extent coincidental, and were not a reaction to their history of probation.

The benefits for the department of PM+R, though, has been huge. They have recruited 3 young and motivated faculty in the past few years (Patrick Kortebein, Kristin Jarrard, and myself), which has really helped the program blossom.

This type of rapid growth is not unprecedented. For example, the University of Pittsburgh is a young program, but within the course of the past 5 years has blossomed into one of the best residency programs in the country. Similar things have happened in the past 5 years at Charlotte and the University of Virginia. Both University of Miami and University of Kansas have similar renaissances going on now. If you asked someone to name the best programs for teaching 5 years ago, I don't think Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Virginia, Kansas, Miami, or Arkansas would have been on most people's lists (maybe Virginia). But I think if you ask that question today, all those programs deserve to be mentioned. It just goes to show how quickly things can change.

From a historical perspective, this is not surprising. Spaulding didn't exist 15 years ago, but it quickly became one of the best programs in the country. Before Joel Delisa got to UMDNJ/Kessler, it was an also ran program, but because of Dr. Delisa's leadership, it has become one of the leaders in the field.

So it's interesting how things change.
 
For what its worth rehabsportsdr, I had no idea that you were based at Arkansas nor did I feel like you were lending any sort of bias. Can you all tell me any websites, or other places to go to compare strengths and weaknesses of programs? On FREIDA for instance, if I'm looking at the stats on a program, what should I look for and what red flags should be on the lookout for?
 
Anyone know anything about the quality of University of Washington's programs?

The University of Washington is outstanding.

Their program director, Teresa Massagli, one of the gods amongst program directors, and she has won so many teaching awards that it would be impossible to list them all. I know as a young program director, she is one of the people I most look up to.

They have a fairly unique situation in that their former chair, Larry Robinson, works in the dean's office, and has a lot of influence over medical education. That, combined with the departments outstanding track record, give the PM+r department a level of leverage that is hard to find anywhere else. The University of Puerto Rico is probably the only comparable department in that regard.

In terms of sports medicine and MSK mentors, they have too many to name them all. Stan Herring is one of the most important people in sports medicine, and not just in PM+R, and has mentored most of the current generation of sports medicine doctors. Stu Weinstein, Chris Staendert, Mark Harrast- these are all outstanding people. They just hired Brian Krabak, who was the main sports medicine guy at Johns Hopkins. They are awash with superstars.
 
For what its worth rehabsportsdr, I had no idea that you were based at Arkansas nor did I feel like you were lending any sort of bias. Can you all tell me any websites, or other places to go to compare strengths and weaknesses of programs? On FREIDA for instance, if I'm looking at the stats on a program, what should I look for and what red flags should be on the lookout for?

Unfortunately, I don't know of any great sites for objective information- it would be hard to even know what the objective criteria would be.

As for red flags .... I think one useful red flag is to read this website, and look at whether you have residents bad mouthing their own programs, or if you have programs that are routinely criticized, and nobody comes to their defense.
 
Other than UW, what are the other strong programs that are known for sports med rehab?
 
Other than UW, what are the other strong programs that are known for sports med rehab?
see my earlier post

I also think you should research the difference btwn pain management, sports medicine/MSK, and interventional spine as some programs are stronger in one area over others.
 
Other than UW, what are the other strong programs that are known for sports med rehab?

There are several threads on this forum specifically about sports medicine. Those would be good starting points. As a short answer, though, I think that RIC, Kessler, Mayo, and Washington are good starting points
 
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