Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Alexander Dromerick, MD, Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Chief of Service of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
The Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation conducts clerkships for both third and fourth year medical students, which take place at the National Rehabilitation Hospital and its outpatient clinics. A two week clinical clerkship during the student’s third year exposes clerks to PM&R as it is practiced in the private attending’s office and rehabilitation hospital wards. One week of outpatient experience presents material of practical use to any physician who will regularly be called upon to deal with musculoskeletal problems. The second week offers an experience in Cardiac and Stroke inpatient-rehabilitation.
There are two four week clerkships available for fourth year students with a sincere interest in PM&R. The first clerkship experience designed for a fourth year student meets the needs of students seeking a familiarity with the vast scope of practice in PM&R. The clerkship, consist of four weeks, with one week each of inpatient Spinal Cord Injury rehabilitation, Traumatic Brain Injury rehabilitation, Stroke & Cardiac rehabilitation, and one week of Outpatient Clinics (Prosthetics & Orthotics, General Musculoskeletal and Electrodiagnostics). During this month the student will also attend the GUH/NRH Residency Training Program weekly didact sessions and participate in the residents’ Continuity Clinic.
The second fourth year clerkship is a four week intensive, hospital-based, acting internship conducted at The National Rehabilitation Hospital. This is only offered to students with a previous clerkship experience in PM&R or those who have rotated through the general four week rotation. The student will pick one of the inpatient services they had previously rotated and will functions as an integral member of the team providing care on the wards. This particular experience is designed for students considering a career in PM&R. During the one-month clerkship the students are evaluated throughout a rigorous program of clinical conferences, case and paper presentations, and resident rounds. The student will also attend the GUH/NRH Residency Training Program weekly didactic sessions and participate in the residents’ Continuity Clinic.