Self-perceived preparedness for practice among graduating physical medicine & rehabilitation residents.

Background: There is little research regarding the self-perceived preparedness of residents to enter independent practice after training. Given the vast breadth of physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) and the increasingly complex and wide-ranging responsibilities and roles of physiatrists, this study is necessary to evaluate residents' perspectives of how programs are preparing them in the face of the changing practice environment.

Objective: To identify how graduating PM&R residents perceived their training to prepare them for future practice. The researchers assessed perceived preparedness in six domains: (1) evaluation and management of conditions, (2) settings and responsibilities of practice, (3) familiarity with administrative processes, (4) physiatric-specific prescriptions, (5) performing procedures, and (6) interpretation of diagnostic studies.

Design: Survey.

Setting: Virtual.

Participants: Graduating PM&R residents in their final year of training in the United States were invited to complete the survey. Of 415 graduating residents, 54 accessed the survey, and 40 (9.6%) fully completed questions relating to preparation by residency.

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main outcome measure: Self-perceived preparedness for practice among graduating residents across 70 subdomains of practice.

Results: Mean preparedness was highest in the domain of physiatric prescription (3.45/5), and preparedness for administrative processes was significantly lower than all other domains (mean 2.25/5, p < .001). Across subdomains, the highest preparedness was in performing electromyography (4.48/5). Medical skills rated less than 2.50/5 included interpreting urodynamics (1.93/5), performing osteopathic manipulative therapy (1.57/5), and performing unguided peripheral nerve injections (2.25/5).

Conclusions: Ultimately, residency programs should increase administrative training and identify internal strengths and weaknesses by polling their residents.