Rotating stations: An innovative approach to third-year medical student education in physical medicine and rehabilitation

Education of medical students is an important component of physical medicine and rehabilitation training programs. A one-day combined lectures/rotating stations conference was designed to introduce physical medicine and rehabilitation to third year medical students during the academic years 1991 through 1993. Pre- and post-testing allowed objective measurement of student knowledge of physical medicine and rehabilitation. The lectures and rotating stations were evaluated, and the feedback was used to improve subsequent conferences. Pre- and post-tests indicated increased student knowledge, and interest in physical medicine and rehabilitation doubled in each class that participated. This instructional method increases third year medical student exposure to physical medicine and rehabilitation in a cost-effective and efficient manner.