What is Physical Medicine
and Rehab?
Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), also referred to
as physiatry, is a medical specialty dealing with diagnosis, evaluation, and
management of people of any age with physical and/or cognitive impairment and
disability. This specialty focuses
on bringing back the health
and functional abilities of these people after acute illness or injury such as
spinal cord injuries, heart surgery,
stroke, amputation, joint replacement, or sports injuries. It also
involves diagnosis and treatment of patients with painful or functionally
limiting conditions, diagnostic and therapeutic injection procedures, the
management of comorbidities and co-impairments, electrodiagnostic medicine,
and stresses on prevention of complications of disability from secondary
conditions.
Physiatrists are trained in the rehabilitation of long-term
management of these patients. They provide leadership to multidisciplinary
teams concerned with maximal restoration or development of physical,
psychological, social, occupational and vocational functions in persons
suffering functional disabilities. They are open
to the advancing knowledge of
effective physical medicine and rehabilitation therapies and deliver the best
possible patient care. The core people coming under this group are
physiatrists, psychologists, nurses, therapists and scientists.
The American Academy of
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is the national medical society
representing more than 7,000 physicians who are specialists in the field of
physical medicine and rehabilitation. This Academy represents more than 87
percent of U.S. physiatrists and international colleagues from 37 countries.
Individuals who like to become a physiatrist should
successfully complete four years of graduate medical education and four
additional years of postdoctoral residency training. In the
United States there are 80
accredited residency programs in physical medicine and rehabilitation. To
become board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, physiatrists
are required to pass both a written and oral examination administered by the
American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPM&R). The ABPM&R
also has agreements with each of the boards of pediatrics, internal medicine,
and neurology to allow special training programs leading to certification in
both specialties.
They practice in rehabilitation centers, hospitals,
and in private offices. Some of them concentrate on one area such as
pediatrics, sports medicine, geriatric medicine, brain injury, or many other
special interests.
PM&R is the medical specialty dedicated to maximizing
physical function and quality of life. PM&R physicians deliver care that helps
people
return to their highest levels of functioning to continue with
the most active, independent lives possible.
