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Practice Management/Leadership

Enhancing Mentorship and Early Subspecialty Exploration Through Resident-Led Interest Groups in PM&R Training

Saturday, October 25, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM MT
Location: Kiosk 7

    Primary Author(s)

  • Andrea Nikolis, MD

    Fellow Physician
    University of California Davis Division of Pain Medicine, California

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Louis Nikolis, MD

    Fellow
    UC Davis Pain Medicine
    Sacramento, California

  • CN

    Christian Nicolosi, MD

    Resident
    University of Colorado PM&R Program
    HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colorado

  • AM

    Adele Meron, MD

    Associate Professor
    University of Colorado Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
    Denver, Colorado

Disclosure(s):
Andrea Nikolis, MD: No financial relationships to disclose
Louis Nikolis, MD: No financial relationships to disclose
Christian Nicolosi, MD: No financial relationships to disclose
Background and/or Objectives: Early exposure to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) subspecialties and structured mentorship are pivotal for resident development, especially in a field as diverse as PM&R. This project established resident-led subspecialty interest groups to facilitate mentorship, promote early subspecialty exploration, and enhance extracurricular engagement amongst PM&R residents.

Design: Programmatic intervention with qualitative feedback analysis

Setting : Single, moderately-sized academic PM&R residency program

Participants : PM&R residents across all postgraduate years (PGY), attending physicians, and fellows specializing in various PM&R subspecialties

Interventions: Formation of subspecialty interest groups led by senior residents, involving monthly meetings, structured mentorship from faculty and fellows, and participation in related extracurricular activities. Categorical PGY-1 and advanced PGY-2 residents were encouraged to join multiple subspecialty interest groups aligned with their clinical interests, starting as early as July of their training year. As residents progressed, they were encouraged to narrow their focus and commit to one group by early to mid-PGY-3 to allow for deeper engagement and leadership opportunities.

Main Outcome Measures: Resident engagement levels and qualitative feedback on the impact of participation on eventual subspecialty choice

Results: Multiple subspecialty interest groups were established, including Spine and Pain Medicine, Sports Medicine, Neurorehabilitation, and Pediatric Rehabilitation. 20 of 22 residents (90.9%) actively participated as either mentors or mentees. Residents reported increased satisfaction with mentorship opportunities and improved clarity in choosing fellowship and career paths. Feedback highlighted the value of structured peer and faculty mentorship and the benefit of hearing diverse perspectives earlier in training. Mentees particularly appreciated having a designated resource during early residency transitions and noted that mentors were accessible, supportive, and provided personalized guidance.

Conclusions: Implementing resident-led subspecialty interest groups within PM&R residency programs can significantly enhance mentorship, promote early subspecialty exploration, and foster a collaborative learning environment. This model is replicable and adaptable for other residency programs aiming to enrich professional development and peer engagement.