Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Awarded Best Hospitals for Rehabilitation by US News and World Report
Since 1992, the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) program has trained residents in all aspects of rehabilitation and physical medicine. Subsequently, we’ve produced physicians with a broad set of skills that will prepare them for a smooth transition to fellowship training, a general private practice or an academic career.
The program has a combined categorical and advanced Match program that has been fully accredited – at the maximum cycle length of 5 years – since its inception by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Over the last five years, 95% of residents have passed their written boards and 95% passed their oral boards on the first try – numbers that significantly surpass the national average.
In our program, residents will gain a solid foundation in the following specialty areas:
- Neurotrauma (brain injury and spinal cord injury) rehabilitation
- Stroke rehabilitation
- Prosthetics and orthotics
- Musculoskeletal medicine
- Pediatric rehabilitation
- Oncology rehabilitation
Where You Will Train
Carolinas Rehabilitation
The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Program is located in Carolinas Rehabilitation and adjacent to Carolinas Medical Center. Carolinas Rehabilitation is one of the largest rehabilitation providers in the nation with a 192-bed, CARF-accredited acute rehabilitation facility that provides inpatient care at 4 locations as well as Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital. The facility also includes many outpatient facilities throughout the Charlotte region.
Our new state-of-the-art rehabilitation hospital is coming in 2022. Our new facility is being thoughtfully designed to help us provide the very best care to those with the most challenging conditions – throughout the Carolinas and beyond.
Learn moreMore information on Carolinas Rehabilitation’s 4 inpatient hospitals and Levine Children’s Hospital:
- Carolinas Rehabilitation - Charlotte
- Carolinas Rehabilitation - Mount Holly
- Carolinas Rehabilitation - NorthEast
- Carolinas Rehabilitation - Pineville
- Levine Children’s Hospital
Residents will also train at outpatient rehabilitation facilities across the Charlotte region, which provide a variety of programs and services to their patients.
Learn morePM&R Faculty and Directors highlight the Residency Program at CMC/Carolinas Rehab
Opportunity, Diversity and Community: An Inside Look at Our Programs
What Residents are Saying About the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Program
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Jaymi Bautista-Whitaker, DO
Administrative Chief Resident
Carolinas Rehabilitation stood out to me because it felt like a place where I could become the physician I wanted to be. The breadth of clinical experiences, strong procedural training, and commitment to resident education were immediately apparent, but what ultimately made my decision easy was the people. What truly sets this program apart is its supportive culture and investment in resident development. Residents are challenged to grow, encouraged to pursue their goals, and surrounded by faculty and peers who are genuinely committed to their success. Charlotte is also a wonderful place to live, offering a great quality of life, a strong sense of community, and plenty of opportunities to enjoy time outside of work.
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Nicolas Brandt, MD
Academic Chief Resident
After completing 2 years of training at Carolinas Rehabilitation so far, I can say without doubt that I made the right decision when choosing to do my residency here. The patient populations we serve in the city where we practice (Charlotte) give you exposure to all that the field of PM&R has to offer. We get the opportunity to train in a wide variety of clinical environments, so the newer residents can find their passion within the field, and the senior residents can craft their schedule to best prepare for their careers. As a budding generalist, I love the ability to do a bit of everything during my training years, getting a diverse and solid foundation as I prepare to practice after residency. It’s great to train in a place where the leadership has your back no matter what path you choose. Being born and raised only about 20 minutes from Charlotte, I can attest that it is a great place to live and work!
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Alena Sidwell, MD
Quality Improvement Chief Resident
I am very thankful to be training at Carolinas Rehabilitation! One thing that has been apparent to me since I first rotated here as a medical student is the passion that all members of our multidisciplinary team have towards providing the best patient care. This attitude is infectious and has pushed me to grow significantly in my leadership, communication and clinical skills. Being located in a major city like Charlotte, and a part of a large healthcare system allows us the opportunity to take care of both significantly complex patients and those with "bread and butter" rehabilitation diagnoses. The breadth of physiatry that we are exposed to makes me feel well prepared to take care of any patient that I may cross paths within my career.
PM&R Residents and Fellows share a typical day at Carolinas Rehab
Meet the Faculty
“Our residency program is structured to provide a diverse clinical experience in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Our faculty, residents, and staff share a deep commitment to education, research, and diversity. At Carolinas Rehabilitation, however, we are as proud of the quality of our broad-based Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation program as we are of our open, welcoming environment. Our program fosters a close-knit, family environment that is evident in the interactions of our residents, faculty, and graduates. By ensuring support and encouragement of our residents, we allow them the opportunity to focus on the most important task at hand – learning!”
Kelly Crawford, MD
Residency Program Director
Brain Injury Fellowship Director
Brain Injury Medical Director
With a nationally and internationally renowned team of physicians who serve as faculty, our residents have access to a variety of experiences and knowledge in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation program. View their bios here.
Program Curriculum
Residents of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation program will have many learning and teaching experiences, including:
- Rotations in a variety of sub-specialized rotations, including cancer rehabilitation, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, musculoskeletal medicine, stroke, orthopedic and amputation, pain, palliative care and hospice, pediatric rehabilitation, rheumatology, spinal cord injury, sports medicine and traumatic brain injury.
- Faculty-led didactic lectures and conferences.
- Resident-led, weekly PM&R conferences, providing opportunities to present and defend ideas and gain skills as a teacher.
- Greater than 2:1 faculty-to-resident ratio.
- Experiential training with a Simulation Center and a surgical skills laboratory.
- Brain Injury
- Neuropsychology
- Robot-Assisted Gait Training
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Stroke
- Orthopedic
- Amputee Rehabilitation
- Cancer Rehabilitation
- Pediatrics Rehabilitation
- Consults
- Brain Injury
- Stroke
- Cancer Rehabilitation
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Amputee Rehabilitation
- Lymphedema
- Electrodiagnostic/EMG
- Musculoskeletal/Sports
- Spasticity
- ALS/MDA
- Pediatrics Rehabilitation
In addition to the many educational and career benefits of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation program, residents will receive financial benefits.
Learn moreApplication Criteria
If you would like to apply for our residency program, we only accept standard electronic applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Please contact your school for specific information on the ERAS program.
We will review applications from students from international medical schools who meet all the following criteria.
- Must be ECFMG certified at the time of the application submission.
- Atrium Health /Carolinas Medical Center and the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation can sponsor only J 1 visas, and all petition fees must be paid for by the applicant.