Essential Questions MD Graduates Should Ask for PM&R Residency

Understanding Why Your Questions Matter in PM&R Residency Interviews

As an MD graduate in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R), the questions you ask programs are one of the most powerful—and underrated—parts of your interview strategy. They shape how program directors and faculty perceive you, help you decide if a program truly fits your goals, and demonstrate that you understand what makes PM&R training unique.

Strong, tailored questions:

• Signal your seriousness about the specialty and that specific program
• Show you’ve thought deeply about your physiatry career path
• Give you critical information you can’t get from websites or program brochures
• Help you compare programs more objectively after interviews

Weak or generic questions (“What is call like?” or “Do residents get along?”) waste valuable time and don’t distinguish you in a competitive physiatry match.

This guide walks you through high-impact questions to ask residency programs in PM&R, framed by topic area, with examples, context, and strategy. It is especially oriented toward the MD graduate residency applicant from an allopathic medical school, but much applies broadly to any PM&R applicant.

---

Strategy First: How to Choose and Use Your Questions

Before diving into specific examples, it’s worth understanding how to deploy your questions thoughtfully. Your goal isn’t to memorize a script; it’s to choose the right questions for the right person at the right time.

1. Align Questions With Who You’re Speaking To

You’ll interact with several types of people:

• Program Director (PD) / Associate PD – focus on curriculum, program vision, resident outcomes, and big-picture training philosophy.
• Faculty Interviewers – dig into subspecialty training, mentorship, research, and clinic dynamics.
• Current Residents – ask about culture, call, wellness, workload, and how the program feels day to day.
• Coordinators / Administrative Staff – clarify logistics, schedules, and support systems.

Knowing what to ask program director vs. what to ask residents is crucial. You don’t need to ask everyone the same questions.

2. Avoid “Website Questions”

Before your interviews, comb through:

• Program website
• FREIDA listing
• Recent social media posts
• Virtual open house recordings (if available)

Do not ask something that’s clearly listed online unless you’re seeking clarification or expansion. Reframe it:

“I saw on your website that you have a strong emphasis on inpatient rehab. Can you tell me more about how residents are integrated into the interdisciplinary rehab team and how autonomy evolves across the three years?”

3. Prioritize What Matters Most to You

Every MD graduate entering PM&R has unique priorities. For some, it’s outpatient MSK and sports; for others, SCI or TBI; for others, pain or EMG. Identify your top 3–4 priorities before interview season:

• Academic vs community practice preparation
• Inpatient vs outpatient balance
• Research or fellowship goals
• Geographic/family needs
• Call/overnight coverage
• Hands-on procedures and EMG exposure

Then make sure every interview day includes questions that target those priorities.

4. Ask Open-Ended, Comparative Questions

Open-ended questions elicit richer responses than yes/no ones. Also, comparative questions help you assess how a program measures itself:

• “Compared with other PM&R programs, what do you think are this program’s distinctive strengths?”
• “How has the curriculum changed over the past 5 years in response to feedback?”

---

Core Areas and High-Yield Questions to Ask PM&R Programs

Below are key domains every PM&R applicant should explore, with tailored interview questions for them—the PDs, faculty, and residents—plus why each question matters.

A. Clinical Training, Rotations, and Patient Mix

PM&R training can vary dramatically from program to program in terms of inpatient vs outpatient balance, procedure exposure, and patient mix.

Questions to ask program directors or core faculty:

1. “How would you describe the balance between inpatient and outpatient training here, and how has that changed in recent years?”

   • Why it matters: Some programs are historically inpatient-heavy; others have large outpatient networks. You want balance that matches your career goals.

2. “What is the typical patient mix on your inpatient service (stroke, TBI, SCI, orthopedic, medically complex), and how does resident responsibility evolve from PGY-2 to PGY-4?”

   • Clarifies exposure to key rehab diagnoses and progression of autonomy.

3. “Could you walk me through a ‘typical week’ for a PGY-2 and for a PGY-3 on your busiest rotations?”

   • This gives you concrete insight into workflow, volume, and expectations.

4. “How are residents involved in procedures (e.g., spasticity management with botulinum toxin, ultrasound-guided injections, EMGs, baclofen pumps) and how is competency tracked?”

   • PM&R is increasingly procedure-driven. You want structured, progressive training—not just opportunistic exposure.

5. “What opportunities exist for longitudinal continuity clinics, and how early do residents begin following their own panel of patients?”

   • Continuity is key for learning functional outcomes, goal setting, and long-term management.

Questions for current residents:

• “Which rotations best prepared you for independent practice, and which felt less valuable or could be improved?”
• “Do you feel you see enough outpatient MSK, pain, and EMG to be comfortable by graduation?”
• “How manageable is the inpatient census, and how often do you feel overwhelmed versus appropriately challenged?”

B. Subspecialty Exposure and Fellowships

For many MD graduate residency applicants, subspecialty interests are already forming—sports, pain, SCI, TBI, pediatrics, EMG/neuromuscular, etc.

Questions to ask residency leadership:

1. “What subspecialty areas are particularly strong here, and how do residents get early exposure to them?”

   • You’ll quickly learn the “personality” of the program: heavy SCI vs heavy sports vs balanced.

2. “For residents interested in fellowship (e.g., pain, sports, SCI, TBI, peds rehab), how does the program support them in building a competitive application?”

   • You want to know: letters, mentorship, research, electives, away rotations.

3. “What proportion of graduates pursue fellowships, and in which subspecialties? Where have your residents matched in the past few years?”

   • Tells you about the program’s reputation and strength in the allopathic medical school match ecosystem, even though PM&R is a smaller field.

4. “Are there structured electives or tracks for residents with specific interests (for example, sports and MSK, pain, neurologic rehab)?”

   • Look for flexibility and intentional design, rather than ad-hoc electives.

Questions for residents:

• “How easy is it to arrange electives in a subspecialty you’re interested in?”
• “Have senior residents felt competitive for the fellowships they’re aiming for?”
• “Do you feel the program pushes everyone toward fellowship, or is general physiatry also valued and well-trained?”

---

Program Culture, Workload, and Resident Support

The quality of your PM&R residency experience often depends as much on culture and support as on raw clinical exposure.

A. Culture, Wellness, and Support

Questions to ask current residents (high yield):

1. “What are the unofficial expectations here—for example, how long do most residents stay in the hospital, and is there pressure to come in early or stay late?”

   • Residents will tell you what’s really expected, not just what’s written.

2. “How would you describe the culture between residents and attendings? Is it easy to ask for help?”

   • PM&R often prides itself on being collaborative and multidisciplinary; you want that to be true in practice.

3. “What happens when someone is struggling—whether with clinical performance, personal issues, or burnout? Can you think of an example of how the program responded?”

   • Real examples show whether wellness is lip service or genuinely supported.

4. “How does the program handle maternity/paternity leave or other extended time off? Have residents been able to take leave without stigma?”

   • Especially important if you may have family plans during residency.

5. “Do residents socialize outside of work? What does that typically look like?”

   • Gives you a sense of camaraderie and whether you’d fit socially.

Questions appropriate for the program director:

1. “How do you monitor resident workload and burnout, and have you made any concrete changes based on resident feedback?”

   • Look for specific examples: schedule changes, additional support, wellness half-days, etc.

2. “What are some recent pieces of critical feedback residents have given you, and how have you acted on them?”

   • A strong PD can answer this honestly and specifically.

3. “Can you describe formal mentorship structures and how residents are paired with faculty mentors?”

   • Mentorship is particularly important in a relatively small specialty like physiatry.

B. Call, Night Float, and Weekends

Even in PM&R, call structure varies from home call to in-house call, from Q4 to minimal overnight expectations. Poorly structured call can affect learning and quality of life.

Questions to ask residents (not PDs first):

1. “What does call actually look like—frequency, typical workload, and how often you’re truly busy overnight?”

   • Residents will give you the real answer (e.g., “home call but often come in” vs “purely phone calls”).

2. “How often do you work weekends, and what is a typical weekend day like?”

   • Frequency and intensity matter.

3. “Has call ever felt unsafe or unsupported—for example, managing complex rehab patients or covering multiple sites?”

   • Red flags include frequent emergencies without backup, or covering huge services alone.

Clarification questions for PD/faculty:

• “Are there any planned or recent changes to the call system?”
• “How is supervision structured overnight, particularly for junior residents?”

Call may not be the most important factor in your ranking, but it can strongly affect overall satisfaction.

---

Academics, Teaching, Research, and Career Outcomes

Even if you’re not aiming for a heavily academic career, the structure and seriousness of the educational program matter.

A. Didactics and Educational Philosophy

Questions for program director or chief residents:

1. “What does your structured didactic curriculum look like over the three years, and how do you ensure residents are protected to attend?”

   • You want protected time, not didactics that are frequently canceled for service demands.

2. “How do you incorporate board preparation—formally or informally—into the curriculum?”

   • Board pass rates are one objective metric of program quality; ask for trends if available.

3. “How are residents involved in teaching medical students and other trainees, and is there any formal residents-as-teachers curriculum?”

   • Teaching opportunities help develop your communication and leadership skills.

4. “How does the program integrate interdisciplinary education with PT, OT, speech, and other allied health professionals?”

   • PM&R is inherently team-based; strong programs emphasize collaborative learning.

Questions for residents:

• “Are didactics high-yield and resident-focused, or do they feel more like service announcements?”
• “Are attendings engaged in teaching on the wards and in clinic, or primarily focused on throughput?”
• “How much time do you realistically have for self-study each week?”

B. Research and Scholarly Activity

Not every applicant is research-focused, but you should know what’s possible and expected.

Questions for program leadership:

1. “What are the expectations for scholarly activity, and what kind of support (time, mentorship, statisticians, funding) is available for resident projects?”

   • Clarify whether research is a checkbox or a serious opportunity.

2. “Can you share examples of recent resident projects and where they were presented or published?”

   • Concrete examples matter more than vague assurances.

3. “If a resident comes in with limited research experience but wants to become more involved, how do you help them get started?”

   • Particularly relevant for an MD graduate residency applicant pivoting into research later.

Questions for residents:

• “How easy is it to find a research mentor who actually has time for you?”
• “Do residents realistically get dedicated time for research, or is it mainly done on personal time?”
• “Have you felt supported when presenting at conferences like AAPM&R or AAP?”

C. Career Planning and Job/Fellowship Placement

This directly impacts how well the program prepares you for life after training.

Questions to ask program directors:

1. “Where do most of your graduates end up working—academia, private practice, hospital-based practice—and in what proportions?”

   • You’ll see whether the program’s outcomes align with your goals.

2. “How does the program support residents in the job search process or fellowship applications (e.g., mock interviews, CV review)?”

   • Look for structured support, not just “talk to your mentor.”

3. “Are there alumni you’re particularly proud of, and what kinds of careers have they built?”

   • This shows you the reach and network of the program within physiatry.

Questions for residents and recent graduates (if you meet them):

• “Do you feel prepared to practice independently as a general physiatrist right now?”
• “Has it been easy to find jobs aligned with your interests, and has the program’s name/reputation helped?”
• “If you could choose again, would you still come to this program?”

---

Logistics, Fit, and Less-Obvious but Critical Questions

Some of the most important things you’ll discover about a program are practical details and “hidden” aspects that affect your day-to-day life.

A. Logistics and Hospital System

Questions for faculty or PD:

1. “What hospital systems and sites do residents rotate through, and how different are those cultures and workflows?”

   • Large systems can be very heterogeneous; traveling between multiple sites can add stress.

2. “How far are secondary sites from the main hospital, and how is commuting time handled?”

   • Ask residents how much time they realistically spend commuting.

3. “How integrated is the PM&R department within the larger health system? Do physiatrists have a strong voice in system-level decision-making?”

   • This can influence your exposure to leadership and systems-based practice.

B. Life Outside the Hospital

Questions to ask residents:

1. “What is it like to live here on a resident salary—housing, transportation, cost of living?”

   • Geography and finances profoundly affect quality of life.

2. “What do you like to do for fun in this city, and do you feel you have enough time and flexibility to enjoy those things?”

   • Helps you imagine your actual life here, not just your work life.

3. “For residents with partners or families, how has the program been in terms of flexibility, understanding, and schedule accommodations when needed?”

   • Pay attention to their tone as much as the content of the answer.

C. Meta-Questions and Red-Flag Checks

Finally, there are a few “meta-level” questions that can be revealing.

Good meta-questions for PD or senior faculty:

1. “If you could change one thing about this program right now, what would it be, and what are you doing to work toward that change?”

   • An honest, self-reflective answer is a good sign of healthy leadership.

2. “What do you think differentiates your program from other PM&R residencies that applicants we’re interviewing here are also likely considering?”

   • You’ll hear the program’s own “elevator pitch” and can compare it across interviews.

3. “What qualities do your most successful residents share, and what advice would you have for someone like me to thrive here?”

   • Helps you assess whether your personality and working style fit the culture.

Subtle red-flag questions for residents:

• “Have there been any major recent changes in leadership, funding, or hospital administration, and how has that affected residents?”
• “Have any residents left the program in recent years? If so, do you feel comfortable sharing why?”
• “Is there anything you wish you had known about this program before starting?”

Listen closely to hesitation, vagueness, or joking responses that hint at deeper issues.

---

How to Organize and Use Your Questions Across Interview Season

Knowing what to ask is only half the challenge; you also need a system for using this information effectively in your physiatry match process.

1. Build a Core Question Set and a “Flex” Set

• Core questions (5–7) you ask almost everywhere—focused on your top priorities.
• Flex questions you tailor to each program based on their website, strengths, and what comes up in conversation.

Example core set for a PM&R-focused MD graduate:

1. How is the inpatient–outpatient balance structured and evolving?
2. What subspecialty areas are strongest, and how are residents supported toward fellowship if they choose that path?
3. How are procedures and EMG training structured and tracked?
4. How does the program monitor and respond to resident feedback and burnout?
5. What are recent graduates doing now, and how well-prepared do they feel?

2. Document Answers in Real Time

After each interview day:

• Write a short summary: strengths, concerns, “gut feel.”
• Jot down memorable quotes or standout impressions.
• Score key domains for each program (training quality, culture, location, family fit, etc.).

This will be invaluable when forming your rank list, particularly if multiple PM&R programs start to blur together in your memory.

3. Adapt in Real Time During the Interview

If an interviewer volunteers detailed information about call or research, don’t re-ask the same topic. Instead:

• Acknowledge their answer
• Build on it with a follow-up question

Example:

“You mentioned your program has recently expanded its outpatient pain exposure. Could you tell me more about how residents are involved in interventional procedures versus medication management and rehab therapies?”

This shows you’re listening and thinking critically, not reading from a script.

---

FAQs: Questions to Ask PM&R Residency Programs

1. How many questions should I ask during each interview?
Aim for 2–3 thoughtful questions per interviewer, and a few more in resident-only sessions. Prioritize depth over quantity. It’s better to have one strong, nuanced question that generates a rich discussion than five shallow ones.

2. What are good questions to ask a program director specifically?
Focus on big-picture and program-level topics:

• “How do you see this program evolving over the next 5 years?”
• “What are you most proud of about your residents?”
• “What feedback have you received from recent graduates about their preparation for practice or fellowship?”

Avoid overly detailed schedule questions; those are better for residents or coordinators.

3. Are there any questions I should avoid asking PM&R programs?
Yes. Avoid:

• Things clearly answered on the website (e.g., “Do you have an inpatient rehab unit?”)
• Questions about vacation or salary as your first or only questions
• Overly negative or confrontational phrasing (e.g., “Why is your board pass rate lower than other programs?”—better: “How has your board pass performance trended, and what changes have you made to support residents?”)

You can still ask hard questions, but keep them professional and solution-oriented.

4. How do I tailor questions as an MD graduate from an allopathic medical school?
Lean into your background and goals:

• “Coming from an allopathic medical school with strong exposure to neurology and musculoskeletal medicine, how can I best leverage my training here in PM&R?”
• “What opportunities do you see for MD graduate residency applicants like me to contribute to teaching or curriculum development?”

This frames you as someone looking to add value, not just extract it.

---

As you move through the allopathic medical school match process and evaluate options for PM&R residency, your ability to ask insightful, targeted questions will help you both stand out as an applicant and make a well-informed final decision. Treat each interview as a two-way conversation: you’re not just trying to get into a program—you are deciding where to build the foundation of your career in physiatry.