Exposure to PM&R at med schools w/o residency

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surftheiop

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Currently I'm choosing which med schools to apply to. PM&R is a specialty that I would like to get some exposure to so I can properly consider it as a possible career option. I'm going to consider everything, but since PM&R is less common in med schools curriculums it might require some extra planning to get exposure compared to psych/peds.

So I had a couple questions:

1) What would be the latest I could get clinical PM&R experience and still have time to make an educated decision about applying to residency?

2) Many schools w/o PMR residencies have electives labeled "Orthopedic Rehab" or "Neuro Rehab" that are offered by ortho or neuro departments. Would these type of courses be considered "PMR exposure"?

3) I know I could always do an away rotation, but wouldn't it be a little too late to wait until a 4th year away rotation to see if a field is for me?

4) Is there anything else I am missing here? (Like for example maybe med students get exposure to PMR during clinical years in ways I wouldn't expect as a Pre-Med researching schools).

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1) What would be the latest I could get clinical PM&R experience and still have time to make an educated decision about applying to residency?

Probably beginning of MS4 year, August at the latest. Residency applications are submitted September 1 at the earliest.

2) Many schools w/o PMR residencies have electives labeled "Orthopedic Rehab" or "Neuro Rehab" that are offered by ortho or neuro departments. Would these type of courses be considered "PMR exposure"?

Look at these carefully. Sometimes, these are physiatry led services simply housed within the larger departments of Ortho or Neuro. This would be kosher. If not, I wouldn’t consider it PM&R exposure, but it’s probably better than nothing.

As an aside, a LOR from one of these rotations (assuming your attending isn’t a physiatrist but instead an orthopod or neurologist), in the absence of any other PM&R LORs, looks pretty weak IMHO.


3) I know I could always do an away rotation, but wouldn't it be a little too late to wait until a 4th year away rotation to see if a field is for me?

This is a universal problem for anyone looking to pursue a non-core specialty (IM, FM, surgery, peds, etc, all of which predominate the MS3 year). You will never really know if PM&R fits you until you actually are on a rotation. That’s another reason it’s good to do an away elective as early as possible. Just in case.

Try to learn as much about PM&R (and other fields as well) as possible during the basic science years. Shadowing local physiatrists. Student interest groups. Contacting alumni from your school who went into PM&R, if any. I believe AAPM&R has a student/resident mentorship program.


4) Is there anything else I am missing here? (Like for example maybe med students get exposure to PMR during clinical years in ways I wouldn't expect as a Pre-Med researching schools).

Seeking out neuromuscular cases on neurology or peds, sports-heavy FM rotations, pain electives, “Ortho/Neuro Rehab” – these are obviously not directly PM&R but they can be similar in feel.

If your future school doesn’t have a PM&R department, then you will have to plan accordingly and hustle to get early away electives. No other way.
 
Although somewhat discouraging, thanks for the input!

If/when I get accepted at places w/o a PMR department I'll be sure to send some emails to find out if they have any rotations taught by a PMR attending but might be listed under a different dept.
 
also, look into externships for the summer between the MS1 and MS2 year

if there is an AAPM&R conference coming near you, there usually is a med student program.
 
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