Rush University Medical Center Program

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Analyst Verified · Oct 19, 2026

Rush University Medical Center Program

Rush University Medical Center Program is a residency program specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, located in Chicago, Illinois, directed by Ravi E. Kasi, MD and coordinated by Gabriella Chavez. The program accepts applications through October 15, 2027 and holds an accreditation status of Continued. International Medical Graduates interested in this program may contact the program coordinator directly at [email protected] or (312) 942-8905. 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

Rush's PM&R program is a university-based, academically-oriented residency embedded within a major Chicago medical center, combining rotations across Rush University Medical Center, Rush Specialty Hospital, Hines VA, Cook County Hospital, Shriner's, and community-based clinics to give balanced inpatient/outpatient and neuro/MSK exposure. The curriculum is explicitly structured around fellowship preparation, with audition electives, quarterly career/fellowship meetings, named "Mini-Fellowship" and "Homeroom" clinic tracks in the final year, and a strong track record of subspecialty matches in sports medicine, interventional spine, and spinal cord medicine. Scholarship is built into training via a longitudinal research education curriculum, PGY-3 QI projects, access to funded studies (NIH-backed SWAN, WISHFIT, ALIVE) and department research labs, though this appears oriented toward supporting fellowship applications rather than producing physician-scientists. The program distinguishes itself through deliberate community-engagement infrastructure (Community MSK Clinic, DEI committee, global health trips, Westside Walk for Wellness in underserved Garfield Park) and a self-described "family" culture with formal life/career mentorship pairing and an active alumni network.

Who it fits

An applicant with clear subspecialty fellowship intentions (sports, spine, or neurorehabilitation) who also demonstrates sustained community-service or health-equity engagement and values a close-knit, mentorship-driven training culture over a purely research-heavy academic identity.

Research intensity

Moderate - structured research education and QI requirements exist and are encouraged, particularly to support fellowship applications, but research is not positioned as a central identity of the program.

Career orientation

Mixed - Fellowship, Community Practice

Important

The program states it participates in Program Signaling and Geographic Preference, and requires at least 2 PM&R letters of recommendation and at least 3 total letters.

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