Diversity in Experience
What separates VCU’s PM&R Residency from the rest?
Accredited by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education, our program accepts six residents each year through the National Residency Matching Program. As a trainee, you can expect the following:
- Extensive clinical exposure
- Bedside teaching
- Formal lectures and other didactics
- Research mentoring from our dedicated faculty
We value diversity of experience, and in addition to balancing inpatient and outpatient training, our program emphasizes community outreach. As a resident you can volunteer with adaptive sports organizations, provide on-field sports coverage, treat underserved populations in the Richmond area and participate in integrative health programming during their time at VCU.
Well-rounded PM&R training requires collaboration with neuropsychologists, orthopaedic surgeons, therapists and numerous other talented health professionals. Our diverse, accomplished faculty members bring a breadth of knowledge and experience to the table in order to provide compassionate care for our patients and extensive learning opportunities for our trainees.
We provide structured workshops, lectures and interactive, experiential training for our residents. We ensure that our residents get protected time each week for faculty lectures, departmental grand rounds and workshops. Weekly presentations, journal club and lecture series also occur at different healthcare facilities.
Residency Mission Statement
To educate and develop highly competent and compassion driven PM&R physicians.
We do this through:
- Providing a comprehensive, real world experience that is steeped and vetted in humanistic and systems-based practice education.
- Fostering a diverse and inclusive culture through our recruitment of residents & faculty from a multitude of backgrounds.
- Embracing and leveraging new technology and innovative research to optimize patient outcomes.
Our Vision: “To create world class physicians and thought leaders in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.”
Upon completion of our fully accredited PM&R residency, VCU graduates should demonstrate the knowledge & skills to be highly competent Physiatrists and leaders in the field of PM&R.
Apply
The VCU Department of PM&R participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), and those interested in our program can apply using the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) offered by the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Each year we accept six residents. You may complete your intern year (PGY-1) at any accredited institution before beginning their PM&R residency here, and if you’re interested in receiving all your training here at VCU you must apply separately to the Department of Internal Medicine's program.
vcu.pmr.education.programs@vcuhealth.org
- Curriculum vitae (CV) with your e-mail address and phone number
- Personal statement
- Official medical school transcript
- Test scores
- USMLE
- COMLEX
- TOEFL (if applicable – minimum score 600)
- CSA step 2CS (if applicable)
- TWE (if applicable)
- Notarized copy of visa (if applicable – VCU can only sponsor J-1 clinical visas)
- Letters of recommendation: A minimum of three, preferably with at least one from a PM&R physician
ERAS applications due October 7, 2024
Interview Dates for 2024-2025:
November 12, 2024
December 3, 10, 17, 2024
January 7, 2025
Competitive and Comprehensive Curriculum
A one-to-one faculty-to-student ratio and a diverse patient population creates a well-rounded, robust clinical experience, with procedures included in each rotation.
In state-of-the-art facilities at the VCU Medical Center, Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center (VAMC), Sheltering Arms Institute and the Children’s Hospital of Richmond (CHoR), you’ll engage in comprehensive training in the following areas:
- Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
- Musculoskeletal injury (MSK)
- Orthopaedic and multi-trauma injuries
- Prosthetics and orthotics (P&O)
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord injury (SCI)
- Pediatric disorders
- Pain management
- Interventional spine care
- Sports medicine
- Electrodiagnosis
- Integrative health
Didactics and Collaborative Learning
We provide structured workshops, lectures and interactive, experiential training for our residents.
We ensure that our residents get protected time each week for faculty lectures, departmental grand rounds and workshops. Weekly presentations, journal club and lecture series also occur at different healthcare facilities.
Sample Schedules
As a PM&R resident, your schedule will include inpatient and outpatient rotations that will gradually build your autonomy and confidence in treating and managing patients.
PGY-2
- Traumatic and non-traumatic SCI
- Long-term outpatient follow-up clinics
- Neurological and functional outcomes
- Secondary complications
- Equipment needs
- CVA, with and without comorbidities
- Restoring functional independence
- Management skills for long-term functionality
- Multispecialty care for patients with various medical problems and comorbidities related to the following rehabilitations:
- Medical
- Orthopaedic
- Cancer
- Polytrauma
- Amputation
- Cardio-pulmonary
- Pediatrics at CHoR
- Cerebral palsy
- Muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders
- Concussion through TBI
- SCI
- Spina bifida
- Neurodevelopmental delays
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA)
- Spasticity
- Burns
- Complex orthopaedic and scoliosis issues
- Sports medicine at the Neuroscience, Orthopaedic and Wellness (NOW) Center and CHoR
- Ultrasound diagnostics
- Testing and treatment
- Sports coverage
- Gait
- Dance medicine
- Physically challenged athletes exposure in outpatient setting
- Compartment testing
- Pain at the VAMC and NOW Center
- MSK
- Neurologic disorders
- Cancer
- Post- and pre-operative care
- Spine procedures with:
- Fluoroscopy
- Ultrasound guidance
- Acupuncture
- Integrative pain management
- EMG at VAMC, NOW Center and VCU Medical Center
- Worksheet/testing
- Neuromuscular anatomy and physiology
- Instrumentation
- Interpretation of EMG
- Prosthetics and orthotics at VAMC and VCU Medical Center
- Prosthesis/orthosis indications
- Post-operative care
- Gait rehabilitation
Consults: 2 months
PGY-3
- Traumatic and acquired brain injury
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Parkinson’s disease
- Brain tumors
- Cerebral vascular insults
- Acute and chronic SCI consults and long-term outpatient follow-up care
- Pediatrics at CHoR
- Cerebral palsy
- Muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders
- Concussion through TBI
- SCI
- Spina bifida
- Neurodevelopmental delays
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA)
- Spasticity
- Burns
- Complex orthopaedic and scoliosis issues
- Sports medicine at the Neuroscience, Orthopaedic and Wellness (NOW) Center and CHoR
- Ultrasound diagnostics
- Testing and treatment
- Sports coverage
- Gait
- Dance medicine
- Physically challenged athletes exposure in outpatient setting
- Compartment testing
- Pain at the VAMC and NOW Center
- MSK
- Neurologic
- Cancer
- Post- and pre-operative care
- Spine procedures with:
- Fluoroscopy
- Ultrasound guidance
- Acupuncture
- Integrative pain management
- EMG at VAMC, NOW Center and VCU Medical Center
- Worksheet/testing
- Neuromuscular anatomy and physiology
- Instrumentation
- Interpretation of EMG
- Prosthetics and orthotics at VAMC and VCU Medical Center
- Prosthesis/orthosis indications
- Post-operative care
- Gait rehabilitation
Consults: 2 months
PGY-4
- Polytrauma
- TBI
- Pediatrics at CHoR
- Cerebral palsy
- Muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders
- Concussion through TBI
- SCI
- Spina bifida
- Neurodevelopmental delays
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA)
- Spasticity
- Burns
- Complex orthopaedic and scoliosis issues
- Sports medicine at the Neuroscience, Orthopaedic and Wellness (NOW) Center and CHoR
- Ultrasound diagnostics
- Testing and treatment
- Sports coverage
- Gait
- Dance medicine
- Physically challenged athletes exposure in outpatient setting
- Compartment testing
- Pain at the VAMC and NOW Center
- MSK
- Neurologic
- Cancer
- Post- and pre-operative care
- Spine procedures with:
- Fluoroscopy
- Ultrasound guidance
- Acupuncture
- Integrative pain management
- EMG at VAMC, NOW Center and VCU Medical Center
- Worksheet/testing
- Neuromuscular anatomy and physiology
- Instrumentation
- Interpretation of EMG
- Prosthetics and orthotics at VAMC and VCU Medical Center
- Prosthesis/orthosis indications
- Post-operative care
- Gait rehabilitation
Consults: 2 months
Innovative and Inspiring Research
To promote a greater understanding and appreciation of scholarly activity alongside education and patient care, we encourage our residents to engage in a research and/or quality improvement project during their training. Paired with a faculty adviser, each resident will engage in a project with the goal to present at a national PM&R meeting.
Read more about the department's part in CERSE.Benefits at a Glance
2024-2025 Housestaff Salary Scale
PGY-1: $63,569
PGY-2: $65,341
PGY-3: $67,694
PGY-4: $70,336
PGY-5: $74,258
- Three weeks paid vacation per year
- Administrative leave for conferences and courses
- Annual dues for the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- PM&R book allowance and AAPMR question bank purchase
- Travel, registration and lodging for conferences
- Access to VCU sports facilities
- Access to VCU on-site daycare
Life in Richmond
We encourage our fellows to maintain a healthy, balanced life, and Richmond is a wonderful place to engage in that well-rounded lifestyle. As the capital of Virginia since 1779, Richmond attracts students, faculty and staff from around the globe. The city’s location affords easy day trips to destinations like Washington, D.C., Virginia Beach, Colonial Williamsburg and the Blue Ridge Mountains, among others.
As a mid-sized city with a metropolitan population of 1.3 million, Richmond provides stimulating activities while maintaining its intimate feel and unique vibe. Vibrant neighborhoods offer distinct, diverse experiences, with no shortage of art galleries, museums, music venues, restaurants, breweries and parks. For the outdoor enthusiast, you can’t beat the offerings in the city’s riverfront parks and urban wilderness areas such as white-water rafting, hiking, mountain biking and cultural festivals.
Learn more about our community.Contact Us
Jessica Hupe, MD
PM&R Residency Program Director
Jessica Hupe, MD
PM&R Residency Program Director
School of Medicine
Residency Program Director and Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Multi-Specialty Medical Director, Sheltering Arms Institute
Phone: (804) 828-4230
Mary Caldwell, DO
PM&R Residency Associate Program Director
Mary Caldwell, DO
PM&R Residency Associate Program Director
School of Medicine
Associate Residency Program Director and Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Director of Ambulatory Medicine, VCU Health
Phone: (804) 360-4669
Allison Hickman, DO
PM&R Residency Program Site Director
Allison Hickman, DO
PM&R Residency Program Site Director
School of Medicine
Allison Hickman, DO (She/Her)
Site Director, VCU PM&R Residency Program
Chief, PM&R Service
Central VA Veterans Health Care System
Site director and Assistant Professor, VCU PM&R
Phone: 804-675-5117
Julie Chiu
Residency Program Coordinator
Julie Chiu
Residency Program Coordinator
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Residency Program Coordinator
Phone: (804) 828-2017
james.carr1@vcuhealth.org
Hobbies: Spending time with my significant other, cooking, biking, exploring all the different ways to make coffee to stay caffeinated
Fun Fact: I am a former U.S. Army Infantry Officer and graduated from both Ranger School and Airborne School
Hobbies: PC video games, working out, guitar, piano, going to every concert within a 2 hr radius, sewing, reading psychology/theology/sci-fi/enneagram books
Fun Fact: I have a very dedicated passion to making specific music playlist for any occasion. I listen to a wide range of music, so I always can cater a playlist very well to an event or hangout
Fun Fact: My mom and all of her 4 siblings coincidentally had their firstborn child on November 18 (including me). Quite the family tradition
Asim.Shafique@vcuhealth.org
Hobbies: Tennis, lifting weights, video games, road trips, and finding new places to satisfy my sweet tooth
Fun Fact: I became scuba certified in Thailand and unknowingly swam next to a barracuda... safe to say I’m not certified anymore
Anthony.Song@vcuhealth.org
Hobbies: Being an uncle to my triplet nephews and their two older sisters, buying the most unnecessary things for my cats (Moo and Pooh), and generously donating multiple golf balls at every water hazard on golf dates with my fiance
Carly.Watson@vcuhealth.org
Fun Fact: I played ice hockey in college
james.barnes@vcuhealth.org
Hobbies: Spending time with my wife and kids, sports, exploring the outdoors, singing, cooking
Fun Fact: I used to be a medical interpreter
Hobbies: Snowboarding, rock climbing, spicy foods
Fun Fact: I almost got caught in an avalanche while trekking in Nepal last summer
troy.hamner@vcuhealth.org
Hobbies: Cheering on the Florida Gators, photography, attempting to hit my driver straight
Fun Fact: I weighed 1 pound 14 ounces when I was born
victoria.smith1@vcuhealth.org
Hobbies: Rock climbing, reading, pottery, watercolor, watching rugby, hiking, traveling
Fun Fact: I want to visit all the US national parks! I have been to 15 so far
eva.zinoviev@vcuhealth.org
Hobbies: Skiing, hiking, running, traveling, cooking, and stealing my husband's fries
lucas.zornoza@vcuhealth.org
Fun Fact: I currently have exactly 99 plants in my one-bedroom apartment... please send help (or more plants)
Trevor.Hyland@vcuhealth.org
Hobbies: hunting, mountain biking, woodworking, poultry farming
Fun Fact: I have a full house. Current inhabitants include my wife, three small children, one dog, and 10 or more chickens. The chickens don’t live inside. Obviously.
Hobbies: coffee, food, cat dad
Fun Fact: If you see someone with an electric skateboard in Richmond, that could be me.
Ammar.Nasir@vcuhealth.org
Hobbies: Reading, Lifting, X-Box, Punjabi Music, Poker, Professional Wrestling (yes, it's fake)
Fun Fact: I was a Pharmacy Technician for 4 years
Derek.Saku1@vcuhealth.org
Hobbies: Cooking, Peloton, Tennis, Fantasy Football, Trying new restaurants
Fun Fact: I am a huge Baltimore Ravens fan and actually met their head coach by chance at a concert back in 2014
Bryan.Slootsky@vcuhealth.org
Hobbies: Tennis, pickle ball, hiking, snow boarding, paddle boarding, table tennis, basketball, traveling, watching the Miami Heat/Florida Gators/Miami Dolphins
Taylor.VanLeeuwen@vcuhealth.org
Hobbies: coaching and playing lacrosse; gardening (food); weightlifting
Fun Fact: I had 4 children before starting medical school
VCU SCI Fellowship
Lightyear Health - Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
Pinto Innovative Health and Wellness Williamsburg, VA
Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Modesto California Turlock, CA
Where do VCU PM&R gradutes go after completing residency?
Harnek Bajaj, M.D.
VCU Pain Fellowship
Travis Bridges, D.O.
National Health Rehabilitation
General rehabilitation practice including consults at subacute facilities
Brian Dena, D.O.
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Petersburg
Renae Fisher, M.D.
Thomas Jefferson University SCI Fellowship
Kevin Forster, D.O.
VCU SCI Fellowship
James Austin Underwood, M.D.
Sports Medicine Fellowship
Fort Worth, TX
Where do VCU PM&R gradutes go after completing residency?
Jordan Adler, M.D.
VCU SCI fellowship
Ellie Balakhanlou, M.D.
Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation - General Rehabilitation Acute inpatient unit coverage, consults, and outpatient MSK. Rockville, Maryland
Jared Gilman, M.D.
Pain Medicine fellow at the University of Arizona
Seven Hansen, D.O.
Multicare Deaconess Hospital Neuroscience Center in Spokane, WA, outpatient physiatry with emphasis in MSK, EMG, and US
Sean Hoge, M.D.
Integrative Health Fellowship, VAMC Richmond VA
Timur Korshin, M.D.
U.S. Physiatry - General Rehabilitation Acute Inpatient Unit coverage at Johnston Willis Hospital here in Richmond