Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Program
The UT Southwestern Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Program delivers a broad educational experience for resident physicians. Our residents come from diverse locations, backgrounds, and cultures. After graduation, our residents are often split well between pursuing fellowship and pursuing a General PM&R job in varied practice settings (academic/private, rural/suburban/urban). There is significant inter-departmental collaboration with other disciplines and medical specialties to best treat physical and cognitive impairments. Our residents actively participate in best practices in high-value care in an expansive variety of practice settings.
Our ACGME-accredited Residency Program trains 36 residents, with nine categorical positions available per year. Our program expanded from a mixed categorical/advanced residency program to a full categorical program starting in the 2026-2027 Academic year.
A Welcome from the Program Director
UTSW PM&R Residency Program Director
Thank you for your interest in the UT Southwestern Medical Center's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Program! We are proud of our almost 50-year tradition of training amazing physiatrists who go on to become strong clinicians and dedicated leaders in the field.
The strength of our program lies in our people, values, and culture – we truly are one big family, and everyone from department leadership and faculty to fellows, residents, and students intentionally strive to create a supportive environment of people who show up for our patients and each other every single day. The training and work atmosphere is congenial and collaborative – you can always find laughter and fun mixed with hard work and dedication throughout our training sites.
There are a lot of advantages that come from training at one of the largest PM&R residencies in the country. With 36 residents (9 per year in our 4-year categorical program), you are sure to find like-minded people to hang out with after hours, and you will spend less time on call. We also have over 50 PM&R faculty who are dedicated to teaching and mentorship across more than 20 different subspecialties (brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, spasticity management, intrathecal pump management, medically complex and transplant rehabilitation, wheelchair seating and positioning, prosthetics and orthotics, multiple sclerosis rehabilitation, wound care, burn rehabilitation, pediatric rehabilitation, neuromuscular medicine, electrodiagnosis, pain management, interventional spine, sports medicine, musculoskeletal medicine, performing arts medicine, cancer rehabilitation, pregnancy and postpartum rehabilitation, pelvic floor rehabilitation, and Ehlers-Danlos rehabilitation). We love to help residents find their passion!
Our main priority is ensuring that our residents graduate with competence, prepared for whatever physiatric career path they choose to pursue. Our amazing clinical sites are a big part of why we feel so confident in the training that our residents receive – the breadth and depth of pathology seen across varied patient populations is unmatched. UT Southwestern is also an inspiring place to pursue your scholarly goals, as we were rated #1 among healthcare institutions worldwide by Nature Index for publishing high-quality research across all subjects for the 12-month period that ended in February 2026. With TBI and Burn Model Systems and the resources of the O'Donnell Brain Institute, there are always interesting ways to get involved.
We are always happy to answer any questions you may have about our PM&R residency program, and we look forward to meeting you on rotations, at conferences, and on the interview trail!"
Carol Boctor, M.D.
"During the interview social, the residents' energy was so joyous and contagious, I left convinced that this is a family I wanted to join."
Nedha Kinnare, M.D.
"I appreciated the diverse exposure to all things PM&R, the large class size, and numerous research opportunities!"
Michael Lieu, M.D.
"I really enjoyed my away rotation here and learned so much. I also wanted to go to a larger program that also had a lot of opportunities to see all the aspects of PM&R."
Colleen Jacobs, DO
"I chose UTSW for PM&R residency because of its exposure to a wide range of subspecialties, the stellar faculty and residents, and the strong training environment that I knew would shape me into a well-rounded physiatrist."
Josselyne Orbegoso, DO
"During my away rotation as a medical student at UTSW, I saw firsthand the autonomous training, incredible attendings, skilled therapists, and the patients who made every day meaningful. The view from the 17th-floor Parkland rehab unit didn't hurt either. I knew right then I wanted to train here and care for such a diverse community."
Nathan Rose, M.D.
"I chose UTSW for its exposure to diverse patient populations and its well-rounded training in all aspects of PM&R. I'm confident that I will graduate with the confidence to practice as a generalist or be able to pursue any subspecialty that I want."
Amisha Patel, M.D.
"I chose UT Southwestern because of the incredible teaching and mentorship I experienced during my away rotation. I felt like I was challenged in a way that made me want to learn more. Everyone I worked with was kind, down-to-earth, and cared about both patients and students. I also really like Dallas and am excited to be back in the city!"
Elisabeth Frankini, DO
"I chose UTSW because it offers the chance to care for patients across multiple hospital systems, each with its own unique community and clinical challenges. This exposure, especially in the inpatient setting, allows me to see a broad range of conditions and learn from diverse perspectives—helping me grow into the most well-rounded PM&R physician I can be."