Patient Info
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Listed below are the specialized
physicians:
What Is a Physiatrist? (courtesy of
the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)
A physiatrist (fizz ee at' trist) is a physician specializing in
physical medicine and rehabilitation. Physiatrists treat a wide
range of problems from sore shoulders to spinal cord injuries. They
see patients in all age groups and treat problems that touch upon
all the major systems in the body. These specialists focus on
restoring function to people.
To become a physiatrist, individuals must successfully complete four
years of graduate medical education and four additional years of
postdoctoral residency training. Residency training includes one
year spent developing fundamental clinical skills and three
additional years of training in the full scope of the specialty.
There are 79 accredited residency programs in physical medicine and
rehabilitation in the United States. Many physiatrists choose to
pursue additional advanced degrees (MS, PhD) or complete fellowship
training in a specific area of the specialty. Fellowships are
available for specialized study in such areas as musculoskeletal
rehabilitation, pediatrics, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord
injury, and sports medicine.
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.
Physiatrists treat acute and chronic pain and musculoskeletal
disorders. They may see a person who lifts a heavy object at work
and experiences back pain, a basketball player who sprains an ankle
and needs rehabilitation to play again, or a knitter who has carpal
tunnel syndrome. Physiatrists' patients include people with
arthritis, tendonitis, any kind of back pain, and work- or
sports-related injuries.
Physiatrists also treat serious disorders of the musculoskeletal
system that result in severe functional limitations. They would
treat a baby with a birth defect, someone in a bad car accident, or
an elderly person with a broken hip. Physiatrists coordinate the
long-term rehabilitation process for patients with spinal cord
injuries, cancer, stroke or other neurological disorders, brain
injuries, amputations, and multiple sclerosis.
Physiatrists practice in rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and in
private offices. They often have broad practices, but some
concentrate on one area such as pediatrics, sports medicine,
geriatric medicine, brain injury, or many other special interests.
Common Conditions
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