Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Doctor

Nature of the work

Physical medicine and rehabilitation, also referred to as rehabilitation medicine, is the medical specialty concerned with evaluating, diagnosing, and treating patients with physical disabilities. These disabilities may arise from conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system such as neck and back pain, sports injuries, or other painful conditions affecting the limbs, for example, carpal tunnel syndrome. Alternatively, the disabilities may result from neurological trauma or disease such as spinal cord or head injury or stroke. A physician certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation is often called a physiatrist. The primary goals of physicians in physical medicine and rehabilitation are to achieve maximum restoration of physical, psychological, social, and vocational function through comprehensive rehabilitation as well as effective pain management.¹

Physiatrists can receive training in the following subspecialties:

hospice and palliative medicine, which involves preventing and relieving the suffering experienced by patients with life-limiting illnesses.

neuromuscular medicine, which requires specialized knowledge in the science, clinical evaluation, and management of these disorders.

pain medicine, which involves providing a high level of care for patients experiencing problems with acute, chronic, or cancer pain.

pediatric rehabilitation medicine, which involves preventing, diagnosing, treating, and managing congenital and childhood-onset physical impairments.

spinal cord injury medicine, which addresses the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of traumatic spinal cord injury and non-traumatic causes of spinal cord dysfunction.

sports medicine, which entails continuous care related to the enhancement of health and fitness as well as the prevention of injury and illness.

Training/residency information

Residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation consists of one year of general clinical training followed by three years of physical medicine and rehabilitation training. Up to one year of additional training is required to practice in one of the subspecialty areas.

References
1 The American Board of Medical Specialties. Guide to Physician Specialties. Evanston, IL: American Board of Medical Specialties; February 2008.
2 Association of American Medical Colleges. Report on Medical School Faculty Salaries 2009–2010. Washington, DC: AAMC; February 2011.