In PM&R they give a break to people with lower board scores, if they personally know them (i.e. you did a rotation there). This can count for a lot. Or if you application is otherwise pretty good. That said, it keeps getting harder to get into PM&R since every idiot and his brother wants to do pain medicine and has figured out PM&R involves the least call towards getting there...
Anyway, RIC is more competitive in the Midwest. Actually, I'd say all Chicago programs can be fairly competitive, just because all the corn fed Midwestern farm boys think Chicago is paradise and want to live there for 3 years (I kid, I kid...) I would definitely apply to Toledo, as well as the Detroit area programs (U-M, Wayne State, Beaumont). Of these U-M is more competitive, and Beaumont more competitive than you might expect for a community program 'cuz it's easy. If you like Peds, there's no better place than Cincinnati. I've heard Cleveland is decent, but may be more call intensive than others. These are in the average competitive category. Not sure about places further to the West.
