There are two options for resident training: A three-year specific physical medicine and rehabilitation program and a four-year integrated program. Applicants who wish to enter the three-year program must complete a post graduate (PGY-1) preliminary or transitional year of residency. Those who wish to enter the four-year integrated program will be considered for positions reserved for physical medicine and rehabilitation residents in the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush University Medical Center. Applicants should specify whether they wish to be considered for the three-year program, the four-year program or both. All positions are offered through the National Resident Matching Program. The criteria for applicants is as follow:

• Accepts applications ONLY through ERAS
• Permanent U.S. citizens or J1 visa holder
• Graduated from medical school within the past five years
• USLME steps one and two must be a minimum score of 80
• Two years exposure to U.S. medicine in a clinical setting
• One year exposure to the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation
• Deadline is November 30
• Interviewing for three PGY-1 and one PGY-2 positions

Formal Teaching: Didactics

Didactics are scheduled as follows:

PGY-2
Anatomy Course: This course offers supervised dissection of the back and limbs of cadavers twice weekly for two months (May and June) for PGY-2 residents. The course, taught by a physiatrist, emphasizes functional anatomy and its clinical applications in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Neuroanatomy Review Course: PGY-2 residents are required to take a neuroanatomy review course, offered each year. Faculty members within the Department of Anatomy teach the course. The course employs computer graphics and clinical correlation from guest lectures.

PGY-3
Prosthetics/Orthotics Course: Orthotists, prosthetists and physicians teach the course for PGY-3 residents. Upper and lower limb and spinal devices are discussed in great detail. This course is comprehensive.

All Residents
Chapter Review: Once a week in-depth review of a chapter/topic in either DeLisa or Braddon Rehabilitation textbooks, emphasizing facts that residents need to know for their board examinations.

Electrodiagnostic Laboratory: Residents receive introductory instruction and demonstrations on EMG basics from the faculty. Residents receive practical experiences at Rush University Medical Center, Stroger Hospital (formerly Cook County Hospital) and community hospital clinics. Residents are required to perform or observe 200 or more EMG studies by the time of graduation.

Visiting Professor Lectures
Once a month, the Resident Educational Consortium sponsors a Visiting Professor symposium. Nationally recognized speakers lead half-day seminars on a wide variety of physical medicine and rehabilitation topics. During these seminars, residents are excused from their responsibilities and encouraged to attend.

Components of the Program
Inpatient: There is a comprehensive variety of inpatient rotations with eight in the four sites: Spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, stroke and pediatric rehabilitation units.

Outpatient Clinics: Over one-third of the residency program rotations are in outpatient clinics. Outpatient experience includes musculoskeletal, prosthetics, orthotics, pediatrics, and acute and chronic pain clinics. Residents also complete four months of EMG rotations and a two-month elective rotation. The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation provides the medical directorship for the Employee Health Service at Rush University Medical Center.

The Marianjoy Medical Group has a wheelchair clinic. Rush offers muscular dystrophy and adult cerebral palsy clinics. Pediatric cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and amputee clinics are held at the Shriner’s Hospital and at Marianjoy Medical Group Hospital and clinics. Each institution has prosthetics and orthotics clinics.

Research: There are many research studies under way at Rush and at the affiliated rehabilitation facilities. Residents are strongly encouraged (but not required) to participate in research efforts. Research rotations may be undertaken as two-month electives, and resources are available for residents who wish to pursue research projects for longer periods of time. All residents are urged to prepare case reports and brief research projects that may be selected for presentation at the annual meetings of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

For more information, contact:

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Christopher Reger, MD, Program Director
1725 W. Harrison Street
Professional Building, Suite 1018
Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (312) 942-4817
E-mail: Christopher_Reger@rush.edu