An internship for college students in physical medicine and rehabilitation - Effects on awareness, career choice, and disability perceptions

Objective: To show the impact that an internship program in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) for college students has on their knowledge about the field, career choice, and perceptions about people with disabilities. Design: Twelve students were selected to participate in the study. Students observed patient therapies and followed faculty and physiatry resident physicians. Students also participated in research studies in rehabilitation research. Group discussions regarding specific projects, research methods, career choice, and perceptions about disability were part of a didactic curriculum. Surveys about PM&R knowledge, attitudes toward people with disabilities, demographics, and course evaluations were administered. Results: Results showed that the program increased knowledge about PM&R (P < 0.008). Premedical students missed significantly fewer questions (8.2 vs. 11.7; P = 0.04) on this survey than did other participants. Results also showed that this program affected their attitudes toward people with disabilities and student choice to pursue a career in health care. Conclusions: This type of internship experience provides an educational environment for college students to become acquainted with PM&R, interact positively with people with disabilities, and influence career choice in the allied health professions.