Residency/Fellowship News

ABPMR Statement on Impacts of COVID-19 and Time Off During Residency/Fellowship Training

The ABPMR recognizes that Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residents and subspecialty fellows in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine, Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, and Brain Injury Medicine face an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 and may be subject to quarantine or institutional restrictions that may have an impact on time in training. The ABPMR urges residency/fellowship programs to prioritize the safety of trainees and supports institutional decisions made in the best interest of resident, staff, and public health. To accommodate measures taken to contain COVID-19, the ABPMR is amending its training duration rules as they relate to board eligibility:

• Up to 30 additional working days spent away from training due to mandated quarantine, institutional restriction, or illness directly related to COVID-19 will be permitted provided the trainee is otherwise competent, per the Program Director, at the conclusion of training. These 30 working days are in addition to overall leave time and will not result in a mandated increase to training time.
• Residents and fellows are strongly encouraged to engage in academic efforts or study activity related to their training during any additional mandated time away from training.