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Medical Students

PROGRAM DIRECTORS

Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Gwen Sowa, MD, PhD, is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Dr. Sowa is internationally recognized for her research in degenerative disc disease, back pain, and the mechanisms of exercise-based treatments.

 

Professor, Assistant Dean for Medical Student Research, and Co-Director of Medical Student Education, Brad Dicianno, MD, is an alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh, its School of Medicine, and this department’s residency program. Dr. Dicianno is committed to matching interested medical students with the right PM&R research investigations. As an SOM alum he is well informed of the requirements of the medical school research requirement. Dr. Dicianno is also the Vice Chair for Research in PM&R.

Betty Liu, MD, is Co-Director of Medical Student Education in the Department of PM&R. Dr. Liu graduated from the Sophie Davis at City College of New York combined medical program with New York Medical College. She was one of the founding faculty in the Area of Concentration (AOC) in Disability Medicine, one of the first AOCs in the school of medicine. Dr. Liu has influenced medical students in broadening their perceptions of disability and PM&R.

ACTIVITIES

The Disabilities Medicine Area of Concentration prepares interested medical students for healthcare careers serving children and adults with disabilities. Disabilities Medicine encompasses the body of knowledge about disabilities at multiple levels of analysis: the biological basis of disability; recommended clinical practices; functional impacts of disability and its treatment; environmental, social, and community determinant of outcomes; and public health. This area of concentration (AOC) promotes the development of skills in person– and family-centered practice, collaborative decision-making, functional assessments, cultural competence, and chronic care delivery. Participants learn about community resources and policies that interact with healthcare to improve clinical and functional outcomes for people with disabilities. Students who participates in the AOC in Disabilities Medicine support the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of community life. Dr. Betty Liu, MD, is the Director of the AOC.

The PM&R Interest Group group allows students interested in the field of physiatry to learn more about the field, network with faculty and residents, and attend workshops and social events. The faculty director of this group is Dr. Brad Dicianno.

The Medical Students Disability Representation and Advocacy (MSDRA) group was started in 2021. The goal of the organization is to support and advocate for medical students with disabilities and promote future medical practitioners' education regarding the needs and interests of patients and other persons with disabilities. The group launched a program teaching medical sign language in Summer 2023. The group hosted a lecture on the Present Day Healthcare-Related Needs and Experiences of Persons with Disabilities presented by a legal expert from PHRC, which enforces laws prohibiting discrimination in PA, and an academic expert with disabilities from the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. The group has representation on student curriculum committees and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Affinity Group task force.

 
Both the AAPM&R and AAP offer membership levels for medical students, as well as opportunities for networking, learning, and career planning.

CLINICAL OPPORTUNITIES

Clinical Electives

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine offers clinical clerkships for medical students providing opportunities to experience the evaluation and management of rehabilitation patients. These rotations are available to 3rd and 4th year Pitt medical students and visiting 4th year medical students.

  • Courses for University of Pittsburgh students
    • CE 1&2: https://www.omed.pitt.edu/clinical-experiences-1-2
    • PEC courses: Rehabilitation Concepts in Muscle, Joint, Brain, & Nerve Physiology: This 5-session professional enrichment course introduces students to rehabilitation concepts in the physiology of muscle, joints, brain and nerves. The goal of this program is to explore the relationship among anatomy, physiology, and human motion. This course highlights ways rehabilitative efforts and technology can be used to diagnose and treat disorders of the neuromuscular system. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Minded for Disability (JEDI) Course: JEDI was developed with input from key stakeholders in the disability community to address gaps in disability medical education is not focused on specific diseases or treatments, but rather on the disability experience and how clinicians can serve PwD in an affirming, anti-ableist way. The course is divided into 5 classes and includes the following topics: health policy; structural, institutional, legal, medical, social, and employment barriers; models of disability; personal identity; inclusion; social injustice; advocacy, equity vs. equality; and healthcare disparities.
    Courses for Pitt and external medical school students – contact Kristie Westerlund to enroll
    • Acting Internship (PMDREH 5410): This 4-week inpatient sub-internship will give the advanced student who is interested in the field of physiatry will experience rehabilitation care in one inpatient rehabilitation setting such as spinal cord injury, brain injury, or stroke. The student will prescribe comprehensive programs for general rehabilitation patients and clinically manage medically complex rehabilitation patients.
    • Rehabilitation Medicine (PMDREH 5450): This 4-week elective will provide experience of rehabilitation care in up to 2 inpatient settings and multiple outpatient settings including such areas as spinal cord injury and disease, brain injury, spasticity management, assistive technology, stroke, back pain, and amputation. The student may also have exposure to electrodiagnostic studies or procedures and will learn about physical examination pertinent to the conditions encountered.
    • Pediatric PM&R (PMDREH 5460): In this 4-week elective, the medical student is involved in outpatient clinical evaluations of children with multiple neuromuscular problems—specifically, in the differential diagnosis and physical examination of these children and learn some fundamental aspects of bracing and prosthesis prescription.
    • Disabilities Clerkship (PMDREH 5465): A dedicated faculty group offers students an opportunity to develop these skills and to participate in the continuum of care for individuals with disabilities. Students will participate in the medical care of patients in a variety of clinical settings and both adult and pediatric outpatient settings. Students will learn to work as part of a multidisciplinary team where physiatrists, pediatricians, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and social workers provide coordinated and comprehensive care for individuals with disabilities.
    • Individualized Clinical Course (PMDREH 5650): In this 4-week elective the student will experience rehabilitation care in one inpatient setting for a total of 2 weeks under the guidance of one faculty member and will also spend 2 weeks in multiple outpatient settings. Settings of care include such areas as spinal cord injury and disease, brain injury, spasticity management, assistive technology, stroke, back pain, and amputation. The student may also have exposure to electrodiagnostic studies or procedures and will learn about physical examination pertinent to the conditions encountered.
Jeannette E. South‐Paul, MD Visiting Clerkship (JSPVC): Named for Jeannette E. South‐Paul, MD, Andrew Mathieson Professor and Chair of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and distinguished PittMed graduate, this program is designed to expand opportunities for visiting underrepresented minority (URM) medical students to explore residency opportunities at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).  The clerkship is a 1‐month clinical experience for senior medical students who have completed core clerkships. In addition, the program will connect participants professionally and socially with URM faculty and community physician role models.  JSPVC provides a $2000 stipend for living and travel expenses.
 
Eligibility Requirements
  • Applicant must be a senior medical student who have completed core clerkships
  • Applicant must attend a LCME accredited medical degree granting school
  • Applicant is from an underrepresented group specified in the application below
  • Must be approved for a clerkship before the receiving funds
The following documents must be submitted for consideration.
  • Jeannette E. South-Paul, MD Visiting Clerkship Application
  • University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Application for Visiting Students from LCME‐Accredited Medical Schools. The application can be obtained ON‐LINE ONLY, and the request for application can be found at http://students-residents.aamc.org/attending-medical-school/article/about-vslo/
  • University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSOM) Visiting Student Application requirements
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Current official transcript of medical school courses/grades
  • USMLE Step 1 scores
  • Curriculum Vitae
All application material must be submitted according to the schedule in the Visiting Student Procedures. - Jeannette E. South-Paul, MD Visiting Clerkship Application
 
Please return all completed documents to: 
Anna Elias
Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Phone: 412-648-8987
Email:   ARE60@pitt.edu
 
JSPVC employs a rolling admissions process.  The confirmation receipt will be sent electronically after the application has been submitted.  Applicants should contact Anna Elias at (412) 648-8987 with questions and for further information.
 
Externally Funded Opportunity
Medical Student Summer Clinical Externship (MSSCE) is an eight-week funded externship that exposes medical students to inpatient and outpatient clinical practice. In addition to practical experience, students also participate in mentorship with a clinician-educator at the sponsor site. Students receive a $4,000 stipend and paid travel to attend the AAP’s annual meeting, where they present a case report form their externship experience.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Students of all levels and from a wide variety of departments and specialties have received valuable instruction from our faculty in the various laboratories and shared spaces in UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh. A number of students have presented at national conferences, and received awards and scholarships as a result of their work with our faculty. Click here to read descriptions of our faculty's research work.

University of Pittsburgh Programs
PM&R works closely with the Alliance for Regenerative Rehabilitation Research and Training (AR3T), which is committed to accelerating progress in this emerging field using a network of national expertise to support research collaborations, education, and technology development. More information can be found at: http://www.ar3t.pitt.edu/ 
 
The School of Medicine offers unique opportunities for students to engage in research during their studies. The Dean’s Summer Research Project (DSRP) is an opportunity for Pitt medical students between their 1st and 2nd years. Stipend support is available for DSRP participants through the School of Medicine and various external sources (i.e. NIH, professional societies, named fellowships).
 
The Longitudinal Research Project (LRP) is an extended research experience completed over 4 years under the mentorship of a faculty member.
 
Research Elective for Medical Students at UPSOM and other Medical Schools (PMDREH 5810): The medical student will gain valuable experience in cutting edge research in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The faculty affiliated with the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation will precept the medical student through the elective by meeting the objectives listed below. Upon completion the student will have the foundation for learning effective methods necessary for research and a fundamental knowledge of clinical versus academic medicine as a result in publication of an abstract with the student listed as the author.
 
Externally Funded Programs
Rehabilitation Research Experience for Medical Students (RREMS) is sponsored by the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) and the Foundation for PM&R. This 8-week summer externship offers 1st-year medical students experience in scholarly research within the specialty of PM&R. The RREMS was developed for medical students with strong research interests. The program provides a structure research experience while exposing students to some of the most successful and respected faculty mentors in the field. In addition to working with experts in the field, the elected student receives a $4,000 stipend and paid travel to attend and present at the annual assembly.
 
Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program (RMSTP) provides 3 years of support for research training, mentorship and career development for those physiatrists committed to building productive careers in academic medicine and research. The ultimate aim of the RMSTP is to increase the number of rigorously trained, extramurally competitive and scientifically productive faculty in PM&R. The training program is open to eligible residents, fellows, and junior faculty.