Texas Rehabilitation Hospital of Fort Worth Program

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Analyst Verified · Sep 18, 2026

Texas Rehabilitation Hospital of Fort Worth Program

Texas Rehabilitation Hospital of Fort Worth Program is a residency program specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, located in Fort Worth, Texas, directed by Robert J. Balch, DO and coordinated by Maria Hamud. The program accepts applications through December 1, 2026. International Medical Graduates interested in this program may contact the program coordinator directly at [email protected] or (817) 820-3400. 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

This is a community-based, ACGME-accredited PM&R program (with Osteopathic Recognition) built around a dedicated 66-bed freestanding inpatient rehabilitation hospital with CARF-accredited Stroke, Brain Injury, and Spinal Cord Injury programs, supplemented by rotations at Texas Health Harris Methodist, JPS, Cook Children's, and multiple outpatient/interventional sites. Its academic affiliation with UNT Health Science Center Fort Worth adds a simulation lab and structured research days, but the program's core orientation is clinical breadth across the rehabilitation continuum rather than a research identity. Curriculum emphasizes hands-on procedural training (EMG, MSK ultrasound, Botox workshops) and graduated autonomy through a call structure that lightens from PGY-2 to PGY-4, with recent graduates pursuing fellowships (Spine, Pain) alongside others entering practice directly. The program's mission language stresses community-oriented recovery, interdisciplinary teamwork, and care-transition competency over subspecialty prestige, reflecting a heavily DO-inclusive resident body drawn largely from osteopathic and Texas-based MD schools.

Who it fits

An applicant, often DO or Texas/regional-trained, whose ERAS narrative centers on hands-on inpatient rehabilitation experience, interdisciplinary teamwork, and a genuine commitment to this specific community-based hospital rather than a research-heavy academic trajectory.

Research intensity

Moderate - designated research days and academic affiliation exist, but research is not framed as central or expected for all residents.

Career orientation

Mixed - Community Practice, Fellowship

Important

Additional weight is given to personal statements that specifically express a desire to be part of this program, the program uses ERAS program signaling as a significant factor in interview decisions, and a standard letter of evaluation (SLoE) from a PM&R physician is strongly encouraged alongside a required letter from a physiatrist with direct clinical knowledge of the applicant.

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