Residency/Fellowship News

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

While the new vaccines have brought progress in the fight against COVID-19, the danger and impact of the virus remains with us in early 2021. 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 we thank you for continuing to serve the public despite the risk to your own health and safety.

The ABPMR urges residency/fellowship programs to prioritize the safety of trainees and supports institutional decisions made in the best interest of residents, staff, and public health. We understand residents and fellows may be subject to quarantine or institutional restrictions that may have an impact on time in training. 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.

• A trainee may use the COVID-related time off allowance only once during training.

• The COVID-related time off guidance is valid through June 30, 2021.

• 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.

Please contact the ABPMR office if you have any questions.