Self-perceived preparedness for practice among graduating physical medicine & rehabilitation residents

There is little research regarding the self-perceived preparedness of residents to enter independent practice after training. Given the vast breadth of physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) and the increasingly complex and wide-ranging responsibilities and roles of physiatrists, this study is necessary to evaluate residents' perspectives of how programs are preparing them in the face of the changing practice environment. To identify how graduating PM&R residents perceived their training to prepare them for future practice. The researchers assessed perceived preparedness in six domains: (1) evaluation and management of conditions, (2) settings and responsibilities of practice, (3) familiarity with administrative processes, (4) physiatric-specific prescriptions, (5) performing procedures, and (6) interpretation of diagnostic studies. Survey. Virtual. Graduating PM&R residents in their final year of training in the United States were invited to complete the survey. Of 415 graduating residents, 54 accessed the survey, and 40 (9.6%) fully completed questions relating to preparation by residency. Not applicable. Self-perceived preparedness for practice among graduating residents across 70 subdomains of practice. Mean preparedness was highest in the domain of physiatric prescription (3.45/5), and preparedness for administrative processes was significantly lower than all other domains (mean 2.25/5, p