Do you think that PM&R residencies are too long, to short or just right?

[carlosc1dbz]

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What was your experience with the length of your residency? Do you think it could of been cut down, or maybe you felt that you needed another year? Maybe it was perfect. What do people that have gone through the residency think?

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

What was your experience with the length of your residency? Do you think it could of been cut down, or maybe you felt that you needed another year? Maybe it was perfect. What do people that have gone through the residency think?

Given the way PM&R has changed, I felt that 1.5 years of pure inpatient rehab (general, SCI, TBI, etc.) was too much, but I know that we are there to help pay the bills as much as be educated. Definitely more outpt was/is needed.

 

[nleeds24]

Given the way PM&R has changed, I felt that 1.5 years of pure inpatient rehab (general, SCI, TBI, etc.) was too much, but I know that we are there to help pay the bills as much as be educated. Definitely more outpt was/is needed.

I agree 1.5 yrs of pure inpt is too long from residents perspective. But since they need the cheap labor I say extend it to 4 yrs with a focus on actually learning procedures: spine procedures under fluoro, regional nerve blocks, botox injections, ultrasound guided procedures, as well as becoming experts on reading msk images, orthotics, casting.

Some of those things are covered in most spine fellowships but not to the nth degree. This way we could eliminate the need for msk/spine/sports fellowships completely while doing a much more comprehensive job. PM&R should absolutely own non-operative msk/electrodiagnostic/peripheral nerve disorder care completely. Right now its done piecemeal by neurology, anethesiology and physiatry. This needs to end now.

 

[carlosc1dbz]

I dont get it, regardless of the number of years, they will always have enough residents because new ones come in year after year, right?

 

[nleeds24]

I dont get it, regardless of the number of years, they will always have enough residents because new ones come in year after year, right?

Yes. Its a matter of making sure the graduates are well trained across the board.

 

[SSdoc33]

not too long. not too short. not too good, either.

improve the quality and the length is fine. if you can learn internal medicine in 3 years, you can learn PMR in 4

 

[topwise]

I honestly felt like I needed more outpt msk by the end of my residency. There just wasn't time in three years to teach everything. I think that's why so many physiatrists who aren't doing inpt end up doing a fellowship.

 

[Disciple]

I dont get it, regardless of the number of years, they will always have enough residents because new ones come in year after year, right?

It's like this,

When you're a PGY-1 (intern) in IM you get scutted around on the inpt unit for a whole year, take lots of call, etc. and then mostly "supervise", prepare to apply for your subspecialty fellowship or concentrate on continuity clinic (for primary care) during your 2nd and 3rd years.

In PM&R (some programs), it's like you're an intern for 2.5-3 years before you move on to your outpt training, which has the potential to be very limited and superficial, depending on what program you train at.

 

[latinman]

Agree with Disciple. PM&R outpt training can be very superficial and mediocre in some programs. That is the reason I am pursuing a fellowship. I think that Inpt was emphasized too heavily for the first 2.5-3 years in the program I went to. Despite the fact that I scored good in my SAE test this year, the MSK score component in my case was subpar.

 

[fozzy40]

bump...thought this was an interesting question