Capturing Educational Progress

Written Examinations

Residents will take written and/or oral examinations at the completion of each didactic course throughout the year, for a total of four sessions. All PGY-2, PGY-3, and PGY-4 residents will take the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Self-Assessment Examination for Residents (SAE-R), and all PGY-3 and PGY-4 residents shall also take the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine’s In-Training Exam on electrodiagnosis. These exams occur annually, and are administered by the department. The SAEs exams expose residents to the testing format used by the AAPM&R for professional certification at the conclusion of the residency program, and can guide residents in areas they may need more education in, and is factored into milestone progression as well. An additional practical evaluation of electrodiagnosis skills will occur at the end of each academic year. Expected proficiency is based on resident academic year.

AANEM Electrodiagnostic Laboratory Accreditation Program logo
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation logo

Evaluations

As of July 1, PM&R has instituted an entire evaluation overhaul that aims to gather accurate and in-depth information while also lending to the fast-paced nature of our generation. Our evaluations aim to be easily accessible (mobile friendly), accurate, and informative while also taking into consideration the elimination of “evaluation burnout”. We utilize the following evaluations in this new setup:

  • Faculty of Resident
  • Resident of Resident
  • Resident of Faculty
  • Resident of Clinic
  • Resident Self-Evaluation (semi-annual)

Mentors

At the beginning of each academic year, residents will select a faculty mentor within the department who will help dissect and process that resident’s progression. Residents are given the task of completing a self-evaluation that encourages self-reflection into one’s habits, practices, personality, and goals. This in turn gives the mentor access to the resident’s perception of themselves, leading to more in-depth discussion and improvement. These evaluations will also be used to track a resident’s progress throughout their residency. 

Clinical Competency Committee (CCC)

The PM&R CCC meets twice per year to review resident progress along the PM&R milestones as outlined per the ACGME guidelines. The CCC evaluation process is a multi-faceted review of a resident through the lens of the program. Once CCC has finalized all milestones, each resident will meet with the program director to discuss their scores and final rating (Unsatisfactory, Satisfactory, Distinguished) as well as receive a formal letter outlining their rating.