Dear Prospective Applicant,
We appreciate your interest in the PM&R Residency Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. This is an exciting time for our program as we approach the opening and expansion of our brand-new rehabilitation hospital. Since 1966, our current hospital, Spain Rehabilitation Center (SRC) has offered the stability and comfort of a well-rounded residency program, with an established yet advancing didactic and clinical program.
Spain Rehabilitation Center (SRC) houses 49 inpatient beds with services dedicated to Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Orthopedic/Trauma, and Stroke Rehabilitation. SRC is among an elite group of programs that have been nationally designated as both a Spinal Cord Injury Model System and Traumatic Brain Injury Model System. Spain also houses the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, which supervises and directs the collection, management, and analysis of the world's largest spinal cord injury database. SRC is attached to the main UAB Hospital which enables us to have access to all the specialty services available at UAB. One city-block away at Children's Hospital we have an established Pediatric Rehabilitation Program with both inpatient and outpatient services. Our program has expanded in the last few years to bring more sports and musculoskeletal opportunities which include a new sports medicine clinic, MSK ultrasound workshops, collegiate and high school sideline coverage, as well as dedicated sports medicine rotations. We are one of the strongest programs in the southeast with vast clinical opportunities for the future physiatrists that are interested in both inpatient and outpatient opportunities.
Our clinical experiences reflect the growing diversity of opportunities in outpatient settings within the field of PM&R. We rotate through outpatient clinics in spinal cord injury, brain injury, and stroke as well as clinics in musculoskeletal medicine, sports medicine, electrodiagnostics, and spine care. We receive hands-on training in performing procedures including ultrasound-guided peripheral joint injections, Botox injections for spasticity management, electrodiagnostic studies, intrathecal Baclofen pump management, and interventional pain procedures.
During most rotations, residents are one-on-one with faculty members, facilitating informal lectures and bedside teaching. Our faculty includes a diverse mixture of attending physicians encompassing both clinical and research interests. Excellent opportunities and funding for research are available both within our department as well as with many other renowned researchers across the UAB system.
The city of Birmingham is the South’s gem. Nicknamed “The Magic City”, Birmingham has experienced an urban revitalization with many new and attractive additions including parks, restaurants, breweries, and music venues. Being the largest city in Alabama, Birmingham is a hub for medical professionals who bring with them a cultural diversity while still maintaining that deep Southern charm. Birmingham also offers beautiful suburbs with excellent public schools that are ideal for growing families and young adults. The 16 residents who represent our program enjoy spending time together both professionally and leisurely. We come from many different backgrounds and parts of the country and feel that this diversity is enriching to our program. Come visit us and see why we say, “It’s nice to have you in Birmingham!”
Please feel free to email or call us with any questions you may have about UAB, the residency program, or Birmingham. Good luck with the application process and please don't hesitate to contact us!
Cynthia Francis, M.D. - Administrative Chief
