MANDATORY CLERKSHIP IN PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION - EFFECT ON MEDICAL-STUDENTS KNOWLEDGE OF PHYSIATRICS

Objective: To study the effect of a 2-week clerkship on the perception s and knowledge of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) among f ourth-year medical students. Design: Survey of fourth-year medical stu dents before and after completion of a mandatory clerkship. Results: K nowledge of PM&R by fourth-year medical students is marginal, but a cl erkship increases the awareness of the practice of physiatry. Conclusi ons: Mandatory clerkships can help expose future physicians to the ben efits of physiatric services and should be pursued by academic PM&R de partments. (C) 1998 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicin e and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.