Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Program

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Analyst Verified · Apr 20, 2023

Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Program

Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Program is a residency program specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, directed by Karin Goodfriend, MD and coordinated by Sue Abrahms. and holds an accreditation status of Continued. International Medical Graduates interested in this program may contact the program coordinator directly at [email protected] or (414) 955-1924. IMGPrep analysts have verified and compiled this program’s IMG acceptance rate, USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 score requirements, Visa Sponsorship Policy, graduation year cutoff, and ECFMG certificate requirements — available to IMGPrep subscribers.

Program Identity & Fit

MCW's PM&R residency is a large, academic three-year Advanced program (six PGY2 slots, 18 total residents) built across three integrated teaching sites - Froedtert Hospital, Children's Wisconsin, and the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center - giving trainees exposure spanning pediatric, adult, and veteran rehabilitation populations. The curriculum is deliberately balanced (12 months inpatient, 12 outpatient, 2 consults, 4 EMG, 3 elective), reflecting a philosophy of broad physiatric competence rather than early subspecialization, while most of the 29 faculty are dual-trained in subspecialties like SCI, stroke, interventional spine, EDX, and pain, supporting depth within that breadth. Research is structurally embedded rather than incidental: residents choose a Research-Intensive Track (protected time, non-competitive funding, mentorship) or an Education Track as early as PGY1, and the department maintains active collaborations with Marquette University's Stroke Rehabilitation Center and VA-funded investigator projects, with resident work regularly presented at AAPM&R and similarly funded externally. The program's structure - named tracks, chief resident autonomy in daily operations, and cross-institutional research partnerships - signals a preference for residents oriented toward academic physiatry or subspecialty fellowship over generalist community practice.

Who it fits

An applicant with demonstrated clinical rehabilitation research experience (stroke, SCI, or musculoskeletal outcomes) and a stated interest in pursuing academic physiatry or a competitive PM&R fellowship, who values a track-based structure over an unstructured elective-heavy curriculum.

Research intensity

Strong - a dedicated Research-Intensive Track with protected time, funding, and mentorship exists alongside a baseline research requirement for all residents, with regular national presentation and external funding of resident projects.

Career orientation

Mixed - Academic Medicine, Fellowship

Important

The program offers a named Research-Intensive Track and a named Education Track, both requiring residents to commit during PGY1, and considers PM&R-specific clinical experience as part of its selection criteria.

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