Dear Prospective Applicant,
Thank you for your interest in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Program! Choosing a residency is one of the most important decisions you will make, and we are excited that you are considering becoming part of the UAB PM&R family.
As chief residents, we have had the privilege of experiencing firsthand what makes this program exceptional. UAB offers the perfect balance of outstanding clinical training, nationally recognized research, supportive mentorship, and a culture that genuinely values resident education and wellness. Our faculty know us by name, invest in our individual goals, and continually encourage us to grow into confident, compassionate physiatrists.
One of the greatest strengths of our residency is the incredible breadth of pathology and patient populations. Training at Spain Rehabilitation Center, the Birmingham VA, Children's of Alabama, Andrews Sports Medicine, and multiple outpatient specialty clinics provides exposure to nearly every aspect of PM&R. Whether your passion is neurorehabilitation, musculoskeletal medicine, adaptive sports, pain, pediatrics, or academics, you will find opportunities to explore your interests while building a strong foundation in comprehensive rehabilitation care.
For applicants interested in pursuing fellowship, UAB offers outstanding mentorship and exposure across multiple subspecialties. Our program sponsors fellowships in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine and Interventional Spine and Musculoskeletal Medicine and has close affiliations with the Pain Medicine and Sports Medicine fellowships, here at UAB. This allows residents to work alongside experts who are shaping the future of our specialty. Even if your interests evolve during residency, you will have faculty dedicated to helping you achieve your career goals.
Our partnership with the Lakeshore Foundation is one of the truly unique experiences available at UAB. As an official U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site, Lakeshore provides residents with unparalleled opportunities to care for adaptive athletes and participate in sports medicine within the Paralympic community. From evaluating elite wheelchair athletes to learning about adaptive equipment and performance optimization, residents gain experiences that few training programs in the country can offer. Working alongside athletes who redefine resilience every day is both professionally rewarding and personally inspiring.
Research and innovation are woven throughout our training. UAB is home to one of the nation's longest continuously funded Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems and has maintained continuous designation as a Traumatic Brain Injury Model System for more than two decades. Residents work alongside nationally recognized clinicians and researchers who are advancing rehabilitation science while caring for patients with some of the most complex neurological injuries in the Southeast. Whether your interests lie in clinical research, quality improvement, or academic medicine, meaningful mentorship and opportunities are readily available.
Musculoskeletal education is another hallmark of our program. Our longitudinal ultrasound curriculum begins early in residency and continues throughout training with dedicated hands-on instruction, procedural workshops, and opportunities to refine diagnostic and interventional skills. Combined with rotations through sports medicine clinics and Andrews Sports Medicine, residents graduate comfortable using ultrasound as an essential extension of the physical examination.
Sports medicine enthusiasts will also appreciate the diverse event coverage available throughout residency. Opportunities include caring for athletes at local high schools, collegiate events, adaptive sports competitions, and community sporting events. These experiences provide valuable sideline coverage while reinforcing musculoskeletal evaluation, concussion management, and return-to-play decision making in real-world settings.
Equally important is the culture of our residency. We work hard, but we genuinely enjoy spending time together outside the hospital. Whether it is cheering on the Birmingham Barons, exploring Railroad Park, hiking at Red Mountain Park, grabbing tacos in Avondale, trying one of Birmingham's nationally recognized restaurants, enjoying live music at Saturn, or spending a Saturday morning at Pepper Place Market, Birmingham has something for everyone. The city's affordable cost of living means residents can comfortably enjoy these experiences while building a life outside of medicine.
Most importantly, our residents support one another. We celebrate each other's successes, help each other through challenging rotations, and create an environment where questions are welcomed and learning never stops. Residency is demanding but having colleagues who quickly become lifelong friends makes all the difference.
Thank you for considering UAB PM&R. We hope you will take the opportunity to visit us, meet our residents and faculty, and experience the collaborative, welcoming environment that makes our program so special. We look forward to meeting you during interview season and sharing why we are proud to call UAB home.
Best wishes,
Charlotte DeRose, D.O. - Administrative Chief
