PMR future??

[EMPOWERurSELF!]

ok, so I'm going to be starting med school in Ohio (MCO) next August and even though I'm not limiting myself to what specialty I'm going to go into (seeing that I haven't even started med school yet) I'm really interested im PMR from being a former OT student and working with TBI patients at a rehab hospital. I was wondering just how competitive PMR is and if anyone has any idea of what direction the specialty may be heading in the next 4-5 years in terms of competitiveness, scores needed etc. Any info would be greatly appreciated!

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[Dr JPH]

I am just beginning to research this myself. Being an osteopathic student, PM&R almost seems like a natural specialty interest.

From what I can gather, PM&R is getting far more competitive than it was just a few years ago. And the demand will not be decreasing either as the population ages, there are areas of PM&R that cater to these folks.

And, of course, as long as there is trauma (particularly head and neck trauma) PM&R will have work.

DRusso will surely chime in one this.

 

[busupshot83]

But as I read in a previous post, residency trends usually follow a "wave" pattern. Right? So people are going to keep finding the residencys with low hour and good pay. It's sad, because won't you rather pursue something you really loved, rather than because of the money?

 

[EMPOWERurSELF!]

sigh....my thoughts exactly busupshot

theres a lot of specialties out there that I think I'll just LOVE and I'm willing to give everything a try...but at the same time I'm not sure if I WANT to work 60+ hours a week and constantly be on call and tired and missing out on important things in my life--its something that I'm already struggling with!!

 

[Finally M3]

I took a peek at the NRMP stats for this year. It looks like the % of US med grads who are going into PM&R was < 50%. However, this does not take into consideration the amount of osteos (US med grads in my book, but not in NRMPs eyes) who go into the field. And just from what I saw on the interview trail, there are a LOT of osteos interested in PM&R. Hell, 1/2 of the 2005 PGY2s at UMich will be osteos.

Empower, you'll drive yourself crazy trying to predict what a field is going to be in 5 years. Hell, a couple of years before I started med school, Gas was a 'dead' field with horror stories of newly minted residents making $60K moonlighting w/o any prospects of joining a practice. Now it's a 'hot' field.

Just keep an open mind going into school...but it never hurts to plan ahead!

 

[mazerati]

This is off-topic, but I would like to be the first to welcome you to MCO. It'll be a good time. And Congrats!

 

[EMPOWERurSELF!]

ahhh yes, Mazerait--I think I PM'd you a couple months back with questions I had about the MCO interview. Well, needless to say things went well--I was accepted in this years MEDstart program and my first impression of MCO honestly could not have been any better. I'm gonna PM you in a few days with some more questions, if thats ok!!

 

[(nicedream)]

I am just beginning to research this myself. Being an osteopathic student, PM&R almost seems like a natural specialty interest.

I agree, and so I've been wondering why there is not more than one DO PM&R residency program.
To do PM&R, do you do a transitional year first? Is it competetive? Nobody ever really answered this directly.

 

[doctim]

I agree, and so I've been wondering why there is not more than one DO PM&R residency program.
To do PM&R, do you do a transitional year first? Is it competetive? Nobody ever really answered this directly.

there are "2" types. a 3 year and a 4 year program. the only difference is that the 4 year programs have a prelim/TY year buily into the program. you HAVE to do a prelim year if you go to a 3 year program.

 

[drvlad2004]

I agree, and so I've been wondering why there is not more than one DO PM&R residency program.

Many DOs are old school. The emphasis on primary care is what keeps the AOA trying to add more specialty programs. I will be a resident at Nassau University Medical Center. With the traditionally high # of DOs in my future program, they have petitioned to make it a combined AOA/ACGME program. BrooklynDO informed me that Long Beach Memorial in Long Island is in the works of becoming an another AOA accredited program. A NYCOM OMM prof has been working to begin that program by 2005. However, it is a small hospital.

As a side note, the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial will be officially the newest accredited PM&R residency program. They will be taking applications for this upcoming interview year. I think that they will be a very good program. Already in a few years, we have 2 PM&R programs in Florida.

 

[(nicedream)]

Thanks for the responses guys.
So how competetive is PM&R?

 

[juicyfruit]

I have several friends who applied into PMR this year. From what I gather, it has been getting more competitive, but is still not very competitive. One of my friends had 225 on Step I, one publication, from a top 20 med school and all of the top PMR programs (UWash, RIC, Spaulding, etc..) were practically begging him to go there. Hope this helps.

 

[BrooklynDO]

On a side note, the pd of this new program is not an omm prof. She is an attending for the medicine dept in nycom. She happens to be a former fellow so is involved with the omm dept.
~Just to clear up Dr vlads earlier statement.
Also, thanks for coming and talking in school vlad...
~bROOKLYN

 

[docmani]

can anyone tell me more info about this program...is this a newly accredited program?..if so, where/how can i contact them?..thanks

 

[MSK]

Juicyfruit, Where did your friend with the 225 that the best programs were "begging to go there" end up? Thanks.

MSK