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 Medici ne and Rehabilitation (PM&R) for college students has on their knowledge ab out the field, career choice, and perceptions about people with disabilitie s. Design: Twelve students were selected to participate in the study. Students observed patient therapies and followed faculty and physiatry resident phy sicians. Students also participated in research studies in rehabilitation r esearch. Group discussions regarding specific projects, research methods, c areer choice, and perceptions about disability were part of a didactic curr iculum. Surveys about PM&R knowledge, attitudes toward people with disabili ties, 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 s howed that this program affected their attitudes toward people with disabil ities and student choice to pursue a career in health care. Conclusions: This type of internship experience provides an educational env ironment for college students to become acquainted with PM&R, interact posi tively with people with disabilities, and influence career choice in the al lied health professions.