Dear drusso and other thread-followers:
I unfortunately will not be able to check back onto this thread often as I have a number of other current large committments that will make it difficult to do so. Please feel free to call UCD PM&R and get my home e-mail and we can probably 'chat' at greater length.
To answer the questions that drusso posted:
1. PM&R has fluctuated in its popularity. I believe that the applicant group this year was exceptionally strong, but those strong candidates typically concentrate their efforts on the strong programs. This unfortunately leaves some mediocre applicants for the mediocre programs. You guessed it - all programs eventually will fill their spots, regardless of their quality/ training. I don't know about the exact numbers, but know that the NRMP, AAP and possibly the AAPM&R follow those statistics.
2. The interventional portion of our program has improved dramatically just over the last year. We now have a rotation (1 month or 2?) for residents with Pain Management, specifically doing procedures (for good or bad - you probably don't want to hear my diatribe on this). In our clinics, we also do a fair amount of shoulder, knee, hand and ankle injections when indicated and residents become very proficient at nerve blocks and motor point blocks for spasticity.
3. A pain fellowship is offered by UCD through Anesthesiology, but it has two PM&R faculty on staff (me and Dr. Gagan Mahajan - he's very good). I am currently working with Family Practice to set up a joint PM&R-Fam Prac Sports/ Musculoskeletal fellowship (probably 1 PM&R and one Fam Prac fellow per year).
4. The working relationship between PM&R and Anesthesiology/ Pain Management is excellent.
5. Research is now a requirement at UCD. All faculty are doing research. The list of projects is availbale from Pat (number posted above), but may not be completely updated. There is bench-work as well as clinical work present in our immediate department, in exercise physiology and collaboration is very easy, as we have very strong relationships with about 95% of the other UCD departments.
6. I cannot comment on the K-12, as I am not very familiar with the program. I would hope that Pat would either know the answer or could find out.
Hope these answer your questions.
Again, for those more interested in the UCD PM&R program, call Pat (916-734-5292), visit my website:
http://www.ucdsportsspine.salu.net (it has a link to UCD PM&R web page), or go to the PM&R website through
http://rrtc.ucdavis.edu/pm&r.
Brian Davis