Whether you are beginning the journey of residency, making the transition from intern year to full-time physiatry residency or a seasoned upper-level resident, there is so much to learn. Participating in teaching rounds, attending morning report, studying outside of work hours, analyzing new publications and tracking interesting cases are just a few of the numerous resources from which to learn. Training in a PM&R residency program is an opportunity that comes with a wealth of knowledge to be gained, but it certainly feels overwhelming to many. A resident’s goal is to gain an arsenal of skills, built upon a strong educational foundation, but where do you start and what do you trust to get what you need to become a physiatrist?
Different learning styles exist, ranging from visual, auditory, kinesthetic, even learning in conjunction with music; exploring them may be beneficial to maximize knowledge gained from different learning opportunities. Regardless of the learning style, there are a variety of resources available to physiatry residents that suit all methods of learning. Additionally, the recommended resources depend on the training year, in that a PGY-3 might study different materials than an intern.
During internship, the primary focus is to learn as much medicine as possible. In subsequent years of PM&R residency, the physiatry knowledge can be learned; though it is critical to have a strong foundation in the principles of general medicine gained from internship. The best resources from which to learn are your patients. Read about their diagnoses, learn about their medications, and importantly, ask them what matters most to them to gain valuable insight into post-discharge barriers while practicing valuable skills to the physiatrist, such as empathy. Intern year can be grueling, so using the patients as a guide for what to learn is key. It is not always required to come to rounds prepared with the newest JAMA article, but it is expected to know your patients, down to the reason they are on each specific medication. By deferring the physiatry knowledge to be mastered in the PGY-2 through PGY-4 years, this then allows one to prioritize wellness outside work.
Upon beginning the residency years in physiatry (PGY-2 through PGY-4 years), reading dedicated PM&R materials becomes important. Studying for the SAE or PM&R Boards may look different for some than studying to prepare for and excel in a particular rotation, but most of the resources mentioned are excellent for both exam and rotation preparation. Choosing one or two textbooks, for example, Braddom’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation by David Cifu, MD, FAAPMR and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Board Review by Sara Cucurullo, MD, FAAPMR and sticking to them is important to limit resource overload and study fatigue. PM&R Recap.com is a great online resource for all learning types and includes practice questions, bulleted notes and videos for tactile, visual and auditory learners. Easy EMG by Lyn Weiss, MD, FAAPMR, Jay Weiss, MD, FAAPMR and Julie Silver, MD, FAAPMR is an exceptional resource for learning the “ins and outs” of performing electrodiagnostic studies and honing neuromuscular and musculoskeletal anatomy.
There is a wealth of resources to read and learn from during a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Using your patients as a framework for what to learn, tailoring your approach to your distinct learning style, and supplementing this framework with a textbook that can provide a detailed and accurate overview of physiatry is important. This approach allows for optimal development of an early-career physiatrist in training while preventing burnout and learning fatigue.