Welcome | Letter from the Chiefs | Applying | FAQ | Current Residents
Eligibility & Selection Policy | Contact

Application process and eligibility:

The PM&R residency program and the application and interview process are described for applicants on the department web site: http://depts.washington.edu/rehab/residency/index.html. The site is updated annually.

The number of PGY-1 positions offered each year is 3. The number of PGY-2 positions will be determined each year (based on the size of the current PGY-3 class and the needs of the department).

Medical student applicants for PGY-1 and 2 positions will apply through the Electronic Residency Application Service. Allopathic and Osteopathic medical students are selected only through the National Resident Matching Program. The following items are required: ERAS Common Application Form, curriculum vitae, personal statement, medical school transcript, Dean’s letter, USMLE scores, and at least 3 letters of recommendation. Application materials will be accepted up until November 30 th each year.

Physicians may apply for open positions at any time, and may fax the application materials (same as above). Physicians may also apply through the match for PGY 2 positions the following year.

Foreign medical graduates must have completed one year of internship in an ACGME accredited US program, or at least 12 months of clerkships at an LCME accredited US medical school.

Selection for interview:

All applications will be reviewed by the program director or the residency training committee to determine which applicants will be invited to interview. An applicant will usually be invited for interview if he/she has:

• Passed all basic science courses on the first attempt
• Passed all required clerkships on the first attempt
• Completed a PM&R clerkship
• Passed USMLE step 1 with a minimum of 200, or COMLEX part 1 with a minimum of 500 on the first attempt
• Favorable letters of recommendation, including one from the PM&R clerkship

Applicants with unusual strengths who do not meet all the above criteria will be considered on an individual basis.

Interview process:

Interviews will be offered in November, December and January on specific dates. Applicants can expect to receive a general overview of the program, and to have interviews with up to 3 members of the physician faculty. All interviewers will have access to the application materials. Each interviewer will rate the applicants on the rating sheet. Interviewers will rate applicants on a variety of criteria, including medical school performance, personal attributes, exposure to the field, attitudes toward persons with disabilities, and goals, including research and clinical interests. Interviewers will use both the application materials and their interactions with the applicants to assign the ratings or make summary comments. Applicants will also have access to residents and tours of as many training sites as possible on the day of interview. Efforts will be made to accommodate applicants who cannot attend on the group interview days, or for visiting medical students doing a UW clerkship, to arrange a similar experience on other days as needed.

At the time of interview, applicants will be provided with additional written information about the program that may include descriptions of the clinical rotations, the didactic program, the website for the residency position appointment agreement, and the “Essential Abilities” requirements. Applicants will be requested to review the “Essential Abilities” document, and to notify the program director of requested accommodations, if applicable.

Development of the rank list for NRMP:

All members of the residency training committee will review each application and the interview rating sheets. Each member will develop his or her own rank list. Criteria that may be considered include medical school performance, letters of recommendation, interview performance, research interest, career goals, and input from residents or other members of the staff who met the applicants (not solicited, but accepted). A meeting of the residency training committee will be held in February to develop a consensus of rank order and which candidates will not be ranked. The program director and chairperson may review and revise the final list if needed. The same list will generally be submitted for both the PGY-1 and PGY-2 positions. In the event that not all PGY-1 positions fill, the match will be instructed to perform a “reversion” whereby the unfilled PGY-1 positions are added to the number of PGY-2 residents to be selected. Unfilled PGY-1 positions impact the department of medicine and will be reported to them.

Positions outside the match:

In the case of vacancies, physicians may be interviewed at any time. Up to 3 faculty will be involved in the interview process. The residency training director will decide whether to offer a position, or whether further review by the whole residency training committee is indicated after the interview. A letter offering the position and specifying the PG year of the initial appointment and salary level will be provided to the selected physician, who will sign and return an agreement to the appointment. The appointment will be contingent upon receipt of satisfactory verification of prior education (including evaluations, rotations completed and a summative competency based performance evaluation) from the previous program director.

 

[to top]