Search

Background: Training opportunities to pursue a career in pediatric rehabilitation medicine (PRM) have evolved over the last 40 years, with the most recent change being the development and accreditation of PRM fellowships and subspecialty certification in PRM. Currently the American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (ABPMR) requires all candidates for PRM subspecialty certification to have completed a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) residency. The small number of certified PRM physicians has prompted debate within the field about permitting pediatricians to enter PRM fellowships without having to complete a PM&R residency. Objective: To assess the level of interest within the field of PRM in creating a pathway to PRM for pediatricians. Design: Survey of pediatric physiatrists in the United States in 2017. Setting: National. Participants: Pediatric physiatrists. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measurements: Favorability toward pediatricians becoming certified in PRM. Results: Most respondents (62%) were in favor of pediatricians having the opportunity to pursue training in PRM, with an increase in support (70%) after being introduced to workforce issues in PRM. Training time for pediatricians was the largest concern identified by respondents who were not in favor (80%), with additional themes identified including dilution of the essence of the field and operationalization issues. Conclusions: With a small number of practicing pediatric physiatrists, the growing number of children with disabilities, and the limited access to our services, most pediatric physiatrists are in agreement that it is time to consider the opportunity to expand the PRM workforce by creating a fellowship pathway to subspecialty board certification in PRM after pediatric residency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Each year, residents in accredited United States Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) residency programs can take the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) Self-Assessment Examination for Residents (SAE-R). This 150-question, multiple-choice examination is intended for self-assessment of physiatric knowledge, but its predictive value for performance on the part 1 American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Certification Examination (ABPMR-CE) is unknown.Objective: To investigate the predictive value of the SAE-R in relation to the part 1 ABPMR-CE.Design: Retrospective study.Methods: Data were analyzed from first time takers of the part 1 ABPMR-CE during a 5-year period from 2010 through 2014 who took at least 1 SAE-R in the third or fourth postgraduate year (PGY) of residency.Main Outcome Measurements: Raw scores from the SAE-R were compared with scaled scores on the part 1 examination. Regression models analyzed the predictive value of the SAE-R total score for each PGY level.Results: SAE-R raw scores increased an average of 5.5 points between the PGY 3 and PGY 4 year. PGY3 SAE-R raw scores accounted for 24.8% and PGY4 SAE-R scores for 27.1% of the variance in part 1 ABPMR-CE scores (P < .0001). Residents who obtained a raw score greater than 80 (53% correct) on the SAE-R had an 80% or greater chance of passing the ABPMR-CE. Scores greater than 90 (60% correct) on the SAE-R were associated with a 95% chance of passing the ABPMR-CE.Conclusion: The SAE-R scores provide some information regarding the likelihood of passing the part 1 certification examination. This study supports the SAE-R as a means of providing PMR residents with feedback regarding their level of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a life-course/opportunity-cost framework, we study racial differences in labor force behavior among African American and white men aged 55 to 69. A multifaceted measure of labor force behavior is examined within a longitudinal framework. We perform the analyses with a merged sample of the 1984 and 1985 Survey of Income and Program Participation, and we find that the most stable status is not working, followed by full-time, part-time, and unemployed statuses. Results from multivariate logistic regression change models show race-specific effects of age, health, and not-working status on several labor force status and attrition contrasts. Researchers have much to gain by continuing to consider racial differences in late-life labor force behavior and by focusing on contemporaneous and lagged measures of life-course variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measures used by the U.S. Bureau of the Census to assay misclassification and correct marginal distributions-the net difference rate and the index of inconsistency-may produce misleading results and do not fully use information about inconsistency in repeated measurements. We show how multiplicative models of classifications of repeated measurements can be used to locate sources of inconsistency in marginal classifications, sources of discrepancies in classification, and differences between categories in levels of agreement and disagreement. The models are illustrated with an occupational classification from the 1970 CPS-Census Match. Some of our results differ from those reported earlier by the Bureau of the Census. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the 75th anniversary of the founding of the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 11 of the surviving chairs of the board convened virtually to reflect on the past 40 years of major trends for the accrediting body of physiatrists. The field rapidly expanded in the 1980s, driven by changes in the reimbursement environment. This rapid expansion drove an improvement in the caliber of residents choosing the field and in the quality of training programs. As physical medicine and rehabilitation evolved from a small- to medium-sized specialty, the board addressed many challenges: securing a credible position within the American Board of Medical Specialties; addressing a rising demand for subspecialty certification; improving training and exposure to physiatry; enhancing the quality of the accreditation process; and reducing the burden of accreditation on diplomates. The future development of physiatry includes improving diversity, equity, and inclusion, while restoring provider morale, well-being, and meaningfulness in work. Although challenges remain, physiatry as a field has grown to be well established through the board's efforts and respected within the larger medical community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]