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PM&R Research
The Path to Fellowship
Throughout residency, young physicians are exposed to a plethora of subspecialties in their field which may lead to them pursuing a fellowship. Because applying for fellowship positions can be an overwhelming task, we have attempted to break the steps down into manageable pieces and provide a timeline for you. Having access to reliable resources and following a clear timeline will help streamline this daunting process. There are several subspecialites within PMR available to do a fellowship, including:
- Brain Injury
- Cancer Rehabilitation
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Electrodiagnostic medicine: EMG/NCS
- Geriatrics
- Industrial Rehabilitation
- Interventional Spine
- Motor Control Physiology
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Musculoskeletal Medicine
- Neuromuscular
- Neurorehabilitation
- Pain Medicine
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- SCI Medicine
- Sports Medicine
- Stroke
- TBI
A comprehensive list of available programs are available at the American Medical Association Freida website and ACGME online. In order to determine which program is right for you, there are several factors to take into consideration such as: area of interest and strengths, geographical location, amount of teaching offered, average number of procedures the current fellows complete by the end of their training, total number of work hours per week, call schedule and any additional responsibilities expected of the fellows.
The following is a general timeline outlining several steps that residents have to take when applying for a fellowship. This calendar may vary depending on the particular sub-specialty the resident chooses.
| Month | To Do List |
| Feb/Mar | Research fellowship programsDraft a personal statement and curriculum vitae |
| Mar/Apr | Ask for letters of recommendationRequest application materials from program |
| Apr/May | Finalize the personal statement and curriculum vitaeCompile application items together |
| May/Jun | Mail/E-mail out application packetsArrange to visit programs |
| Jun/Jul | Confirm receipt of applicationVerify completion of application folder |
| Jul/Aug | Visit programs |
| Aug/Sep/Oct | Interviews |
Depending on the fellowship program, residents may need to submit various documents which may include a personal statement, curriculum vitae, 2 to 4 letters of recommendation, COMLEX scores, Self-Assessment Exam scores, internship certificate, medical school performance evaluation, medical school transcripts and/or diploma and a photo. Once the completed application is sent, the resident should brush up on his/her interview skills. If possible, residents should attempt to rotate at their top fellowship program. If that is not feasible, some residents opt to use vacation time to visit programs and shadow physicians. After the interview process is complete, contacting the program to establish continued interest is vital.
