VCU program in pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation one of first of its kind to earn full accreditation

By Michael Ford
University News Services

RICHMOND, Va. – The Pediatric Rehabilitation Fellowship training program in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine has become one of the first programs of its kind to earn full accreditation in the United States from the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education.

“VCU now has more accredited fellowship training programs in physical medicine and rehabilitation than any PM&R program in the country,” said Dr. David X. Cifu, chairman, physical medicine and rehabilitation. “For the past few years, we have focused on growing the academic aspects of our clinical programs as well as our overall research activities, including the pediatric rehabilitation program. VCU’s pediatric rehab fellowship is one of two accredited fellowships of this kind in the entire country.”

The Pediatric Rehabilitation Fellowship program, in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, involves research and clinical care of patients with traumatic brain, spinal cord or other injuries. Fellows also gain experience in intensive care consultation, sub-acute and coma management, and multi-specialty pain management.

The fellowship is a joint effort between the VCU School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Richmond. Children’s Hospital is the primary clinical training site for the fellowship program.

“The collaboration between Children's Hospital and VCU’s Department of PM&R has allowed the pediatric PM&R division to reach new heights in record time. The clinical and cultural strengths of Children's Hospital combined with the depth and breadth of VCU's PM&R program position us to be leaders in pediatric rehabilitation,” said Leslie Wyatt, president and chief executive officer, Children’s Hospital of Richmond. “We are excited about this achievement.”

Ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report, VCU’s physical medicine & rehabilitation program is one of only five combined pediatric-PM&R residency programs in the country and one of only two with an ACGME-accredited pediatric PM&R fellowship program. It is the only PM&R program in the nation with accredited fellowship training programs in pediatric, spinal cord injury and pain management. VCU also has one of the nation’s only brain injury rehabilitation fellowships. VCU’s program offers comprehensive residency and fellowship training for all aspects of PM&R, including traumatic brain injury, stroke, acute and chronic musculoskeletal injury, spinal cord injury, chronic pain management, cardiac disease, pulmonary disease, cancer, vascular disease, amputations, fractures, joint replacement, arthritis, burns, pediatric injuries, polytrauma and neuromuscular disorders.

Children’s Hospital of Richmond is one of the Southeast’s largest providers of specialized pediatric medical and therapeutic services. The hospital provides comprehensive rehabilitation services for children and adolescents with disabilities and for those recovering from trauma or illness.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education is responsible for the accreditation of post-M.D. medical training programs within the United States. Accreditation is accomplished through a peer review process and is based upon established standards and guidelines.

For more information about VCU’s Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, visit www.pmr.vcu.edu.