UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation expands residency program 

The UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) is continuing its trajectory of growth with the expansion of its residency program, a milestone that reflects the department's educational excellence, strategic leadership, and commitment to addressing critical workforce shortages in rehabilitation medicine.

Beginning July 1, 2027, the PM&R residency program will increase its resident complement from 16 to 20 positions, adding four new residents over the next four years. The expansion follows approval from both the UAB Graduate Medical Education (GME) Complement Increase Committee and the Joint Operating Leadership Committee (JOLC), which evaluate programs based on educational readiness, strategic alignment, and institutional resources.

The approval comes after an administrative review by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), which determined that the PM&R residency program has sufficient resources to support a 25% increase in resident complement. The increase represents a significant investment in the future of rehabilitation medicine and recognizes the department's continued growth in clinical care, education, and faculty development.

"This expansion is a testament to the strength of our residency program and the exceptional educational environment built by PM&R Residency Program Director Berdale Colorado, D.O., and our faculty," said PM&R Chair Vu Nguyen, M.D. "As demand for rehabilitation services continues to grow, training more physiatrists is essential to ensuring our patients have access to the care they need."

The residency expansion arrives at a critical time for the specialty. National workforce studies have identified significant shortages in physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians. More than one-third of practicing physiatrists report that their workload exceeds their capacity, while approximately 20% of the current physiatry workforce is expected to retire by 2030. At current training rates, experts project a shortage of more than 1,100 physiatrists nationwide by the end of the decade. Alabama is among the states identified as facing a critical shortage of physiatrists, underscoring the importance of growing residency training opportunities.

The program's expansion coincides with several recent leadership appointments that further strengthen PM&R's educational mission.

Elizabeth Twist, M.D. has been named Associate Program Director for the PM&R Residency. A dual board-certified specialist in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine and PM&R, Twist currently serves on the program's Clinical Competency Committee and Program Evaluation Committee and directs the PGY-1 PM&R rotation. She completed her residency and fellowship training at MetroHealth/Case Western Reserve University, where she also served as Chief Resident.

Sarah Lopes, D.O. was named Assistant Program Director. A UAB PM&R residency graduate and former Administrative Chief Resident, Lopes currently serves on the Clinical Competency Committee and directs the PGY-2 Neuroscience rotation.

In addition, Johan Latorre, M.D. has been appointed Director of Medical Student Rotations. A dual board-certified specialist in Sports Medicine and PM&R, Latorre serves as director of the PGY-4 Musculoskeletal rotation and course director for musculoskeletal didactics. He completed both his residency and Sports Medicine fellowship training at the University of Michigan.

Together, these leadership appointments and the residency expansion position the department for continued success in training the next generation of physiatrists.

As the need for rehabilitation physicians continues to increase nationwide, UAB PM&R remains committed to developing highly skilled physicians who will improve function, independence, and quality of life for patients across Alabama and beyond. The addition of four residency positions represents not only growth for the department, but also a major step toward strengthening access to rehabilitation care for future generations.