Medical Student Education, Residency and Fellowship Programs

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Northwestern University’s PM&R department operates one of the largest and most sought-after PM&R residency programs in the nation and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is proud to be its center for clinical training. While at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, residents rotate through all inpatient units, including Brain injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Pediatrics, Cancer, Amputee and Medically Complex services. Residents will also participate in a number of outpatient rotations providing trainees with a balanced clinical experience and exposure to the spectrum of patients requiring the services of a physiatrist, including Sports Medicine, Pain, Electrodiagnostics (EMG) and Prosthetics and Orthotics. Training also occurs at other affiliated hospitals including Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Illinois Masonic Hospital and the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center to ensure comprehensive training across the different levels of care. Our broad-based educational program prepares resident physicians for a career in either an academic setting or private practice.

To provide residents with the knowledge and experience necessary for the successful practice of PM&R, we offer trainees a highly structured didactic and clinical curriculum. Residents have didactic offerings daily which include lectures, grand rounds, journal club and complex case discussions. The lecture series covers topics felt to be “core” information necessary to the practice of our specialty. Senior residents have weekly advanced lecture series covering topics such as electrodiagnosis and pediatric rehabilitation. There is a weekly musculoskeletal foundations didactic series as well that includes anatomy, physical examination and ultrasound small group sessions and sports medicine related lectures.

Highlights of our curriculum include a simulation center-based training specific to a physiatrist, an interventional spine injection course, and a comprehensive musculoskeletal ultrasound curriculum that culminates in a fresh frozen cadaver injection course. The goal of our residency program is to provide our graduates a comprehensive experience in PM&R, while also allowing them to explore their own personal career interests and goals. We achieve this by allowing our residents to have 6 months of elective and selective time to pursue their particular interests in our diverse field. 

We also welcome visiting 4th year medical students from accredited medical schools for 1-month elective PM&R rotations. All Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine fourth year medical students have a required 2-week rotation at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, one of a select number of schools requiring its medical students to complete a formal PM&R rotation.

The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation also offers 5 different fellowships in Spinal Cord Injury, Brain Injury, Sports Medicine, Pediatric Rehabilitation, and Pain Medicine. See more about fellowship programs.

If you would like any additional information please visit the Feinberg School of Medicine’s PM&R Residency Program or contact:

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Aside from our residency program there are other educational opportunities to consider:

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Clerkship
Students at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine complete a two-week clerkship in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as part of the senior curriculum. The clerkship is housed at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, part of the McGaw Medical Center. The teaching on service is a mixture of bedside, lecture and student-directed learning. Learn more about clerkship.

PM&R Elective Rotations
Senior students may participate in four-week elective rotations in inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation, research or individual study. Students interested in research or individual study need to identify and obtain approval from a faculty supervisor prior to application. Get more information on PM&R Elective Rotations.

Summer Externship
Students between the first and second years of medical school may participate in an eight-week externship at AbilityLab. This is a combined clinical, didactic and research experience. Students from all medical schools are invited to apply. Learn more or apply for an externship.

If you would like any additional information or have any questions regarding medical student programs please contact:

Karissa Hamernick
Administrative Coordinator
khamernick@sralab.org