Mandatory clerkship in physical medicine and rehabilitation: effect on medical students' knowledge of physiatry.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of a 2-week clerkship on the perceptions and knowledge of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) among fourth-year medical students.


METHODS
Survey of fourth-year medical students before and after completion of a mandatory clerkship.


RESULTS
Knowledge of PM&R by fourth-year medical students is marginal, but a clerkship increases the awareness of the practice of physiatry.


CONCLUSIONS
Mandatory clerkships can help expose future physicians to the benefits of physiatric services and should be pursued by academic PM&R departments.
Kirshblum
S C
SC
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ 07052, USA.
DeLisa
J A
JA
Campagnolo
D I
DI
D002321:Career Choice; D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010810:Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires