Over this past weekend, July 15-16, 2017, nearly 40 representatives from the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R), the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR), the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP), and the PM&R Residency Review Committee attended the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Summit in Rosemont, IL. Led by Gregory Worsowicz, MD, MBA, FAAPMR, Summit Chair; Joseph Burris, MD, FAAPMR; Anthony E Chiodo, MD, FAAPMR; Sara Cuccurullo, MD, FAAPMR; William Micheo, MD, FAAPMR; Danielle P. Perrett, MD, FAAPMR; David W. Pruitt, MD, FAAPMR, the goal was to bring thought leaders together to identify, define, and articulate how the specialty as a whole can address strategic issues regarding graduate medical education (GME). To help frame the discussion, participants heard presentations from Dr. Worsowicz, Evolution of the Practice of PM&R; Dr. Pruitt, Status of PM&R Training Programs; Jerry Vasilias, PhD, Executive Director, RC for Internal Medicine, Identifying and Implementing Changes to GME Content; Caroline Fischer, MBA, Executive Director, RC for Pediatrics, and PM&R, How Does PM&R Approach the ACGME with Proposed Changes; and Lori K. Mihalich-Levin, Esq., Dentons, The Funding Situation Now and in the Future.
After hearing these presentations, participants broke into mini discussion groups and were charged with identifying ways to approach the issues regarding identifying and balancing future GME residency training content and securing future GME funding sources. Specific recommendations and insights were generated with the intent to create a PM&R GME strategic plan that will be supported and advanced by a collaborative organizational effort. Updates will be provided as this group continues to identify ways for how the specialty can proceed moving forward with this initiative.