Question about PM&R

[EagerToBeMD]

So I've been doing research into PM&R and it looks fascinating to me. I have some questions though.

I see that a lot of programs list three years as the length of the residency. Does this not include a prelim year? Or are some PMR residencies three years even counting the intern year?

Also, what is the prelim year in usually? If I wanted to do a prelim year in peds and then do residency in PM&R, could I?

Finally, how stable a field is PM&R? Can I go anywhere I want with it? I don't really want to be on my own. I'd rather work in a practice or be a partner with others. Are those jobs plentiful or is it too small a field? And last question for now, I promise -- can I work as a hospitalist (shift work) with PMR? I also don't mind the 7 days on/7 days off lifestyle. I plan to have a husband and children so lifestyle is important to me.

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[topwise]

Um, it's called PMnR.

(Kidding! Kidding! Sorry!! )

In answer to your first question, PM&R includes an intern year and three post-internship years of training. Some programs include the intern year, but they are ALL four years of post-grad training.

Most people I know did either a medicine prelim year or a transitional year. I know one guy who did a surgery prelim. I don't know if you'd be allowed to do a peds prelim year (I doubt it), but honestly, I'd highly advise against it even if you could. You need to know your adult medicine to manage an inpatient rehab unit.

I'll leave the last paragraph to those who are out in practice and know the job situation better than me.

 

[dc2md]

yes, u CAN do a year of peds first and that'll qualify. but like topwise, i'd say a prelim/transitional year of medicine is best.

haven't heard of a hospitalist-type schedule for inpt rehab

 

[axm397]

you can work how every many days you want to work. there are many different set ups in PM&R. if you want to do inpatient, i'm sure you and your partner could work out a schedule like that if you wanted to - although not sure if it makes financial sense to do that.

inpatient rehab - the actual inpatient part of it - doesn't take the whole day. so most inpt rehab docs have out patient clinic. or do consults. so it would be tough to do the clinic/consult part 7 days on 7 days off.

i wouldn't worry about lifestyle in PM&R though. the acuity of patients are very different than those of internists. there's a lot of flexibility and many of us went into the field because we wanted some control over our lifestyle.