Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Applicants: A Decade of Change

Andrew Yimu Vassantachart; April Keiko Vassantachart; Brian Chau

doi:10.1016/j.arrct.2021.100117

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Applicants: A Decade of Change

Arch Rehabil Res Clin Transl. 2021 Mar 1;3(2):100117. doi: 10.1016/j.arrct.2021.100117. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Authors

Andrew Yimu Vassantachart¹, April Keiko Vassantachart², Brian Chau^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California.
² University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
³ Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, California.

Abstract

Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) has been an expanding specialty in medicine since its induction into the American Medical Association in 1947. This article quantifies the growth of PM&R by analyzing the number of residency positions and applicants as well as the characteristics of the applicants. Review of the United States (US) National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) data from 2010-2020 shows that the number of PM&R residency positions has grown by 26%, while the number of applicants has grown by 37% with a decreasing ratio of allopathic to osteopathic matched applicants. Matched applicants have had increasing Step 1 and 2 scores, abstracts, presentations, publications, and volunteer experiences. In the last decade there has been a growing interest in PM&R that outpaces residency positions and with increasingly qualified applicants. This analysis can guide residency administration and future applicants on the trends in the PM&R residency selection process.

Keywords: Internship and residency; NRMP, National Residency Matching Program; PGY, postgraduate year; PM&R, physical medicine and rehabilitation; Physical and rehabilitation medicine; Rehabilitation; Students, medical; US, United States.