Residency Program Details
Vanderbilt University Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation residency is a four-year, categorical program. We accept four residents per year. Residents spend their first year in the Vanderbilt Internal Medicine Residency Program, while also rotating for one month in PM&R.
Rotations
All inpatient PM&R rotations are at Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital, which is a standalone, 51-bed adult inpatient rehabilitation facility across the street from the Vanderbilt University Hospital.
Outpatient rotations are located at several different clinic sites in Nashville, including Vanderbilt Health One Hundred Oaks, the Nashville VA Medical Center, and Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. We have other clinic sites in Mt. Juliet, Franklin and Murfreesboro. Reliable transportation to these clinical sites is required. A personal car is recommended.
Sample rotation schedule
Education
Our program curriculum is designed to provide broad comprehensive training with protected time from clinical duties and includes:
- Formal faculty lectures (2-3 times per week) from our department, as well as other departments
- Bimonthly Spine Conference
- Monthly PM&R Department Grand Rounds
- Quarterly MM&I
- Quarterly Journal Clubs
- Resident-run ultrasound learning sessions
- Monthly academic half-days led by our esteemed Sports Medicine faculty that includes hands-on diagnostic MSK ultrasound and procedural practice in the Vanderbilt Cadaver Lab
Research
All residents are expected to participate in scholarly research during their residency. In addition, a QI project is required by the American Board of PM&R to be completed during residency.
Every spring, our program hosts a Resident Research Day, where residents present a research project (e.g., QI, educational, and advocacy projects) to the department at large. This half-day event includes an invited guest professor who kicks off the event with a lecture followed by resident presentations. At the end of the event, selected faculty judges score presentations based on categories of criteria for “Best Research” and “Best Oral Presentation.” All PGY-4 residents are required to present, while other residents are encouraged to do so.
Mentorship
Our mentorship program pairs residents with a faculty mentor. Residents are encouraged to identify additional mentors throughout residency as they discern their career path.
Call
Currently, PGY-2 residents take home call an average of two nights per month and eight weekends per year. PGY-3 residents cover on average two nights per month and three weekends per year. PGY-4 residents cover two weekends per year.