Academic Physiatry

[DigableCat]

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There seems to be a dispproportionate amount of people that I know that are going into private practice once they finish PM&R residency. I'm wondering if this is a new trend or if this has always been the case in Physiatry. Eventually, the more mature academic attendings will retire...then what?

 

[drusso]

I think that this is a self-perpetuating problem. PM&R never really invested in an academic base like other specialities---e.g. Neurology---so, its graduate are never oriented toward an academic career. That's why the next RPC Lunch Speaker at Philly is going to be Lynn Gerber, MD from NIH to discuss the merits of an academic PM&R career. See you there...

My take on the problem is that for years PM&R had almost no representation at NIH and the primary funding source for PM&R research was in the Department of Education---far, far away from biomedically oriented physician-scientists. Hence, the biomedical establishment had no consistent interface with us, what we do, and what our research interests were. Consequently, our research became more aligned with the social sciences. Not bad, but while PM&R was studying disability through a largely psychosocial lens, our biomedically-oriented colleagues were doing neat things like discovering the genetic basis for diseases and developing the foundation for molecular medicine. Wouldn't it have been cool if PM&R was investigating genetic factors in motor learning, neuroplasticity, or nociception???

Recent efforts underway from the Foundation for PM&R are addressing that. There is movement in restructuring the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research so that it is out from under the umbrella of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and is a more autonmous enterprise. Hopefully, this will lead to more biomedically oriented PM&R research.

National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research

Foundation for PM&R

 

[DigableCat]

That's why the next RPC Lunch Speaker at Philly is going to be Lynn Gerber, MD from NIH to discuss the merits of an academic PM&R career. See you there...

I can only hope I'll have the time...

Dr. Gerber(Chair, Research Advisory and Advocacy Committee) has sent out an questionnaire(AAPM&R Research Advisory & Advocacy Committee (RAAC) Survey). I was hesitant to fill it out because I thought it was more for the attendings and those that have already graduated. I filled it our anyway but stated that I was a resident.

http://epwagnerconsulting.com/aapmr/

Ask your attendings if they have had a chance to fill it out yet. They are going to randomly select someone for free registration to the AAPM&R conference in Hawaii in 2006. Not a bad deal. Hopefully I'll win and then I'll only I have to find a way to win airfare and hotel accomodations. Then the trifecta will be complete 😀

 

[mehul_25]

I am currently doing a 6 month research elective at the NIH, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine with Dr. Jay Shah and Dr. Lynn Gerber. This is an interesting post b/c I am exposed to academic physiatry to a considerable extent during this elective. The differences b/w academic and private practice are interesting and I agree that many residents do not seem to have an interest in academics, possibly due to poor development and exposure to that element of PM&R.

 

[drusso]

I am currently doing a 6 month research elective at the NIH, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine with Dr. Jay Shah and Dr. Lynn Gerber. This is an interesting post b/c I am exposed to academic physiatry to a considerable extent during this elective. The differences b/w academic and private practice are interesting and I agree that many residents do not seem to have an interest in academics, possibly due to poor development and exposure to that element of PM&R.

It would be great if you could share your experiences and observations with the group!!

--David

 

[DigableCat]

How does the AAPM&R suppose it will make Academics a more attractive option for those currently in residency.

Obviously the "prestige" isn't enough...

And those great academic salaries aren't making people turn down those measley private job offers(especially with those of us >100,000 in debt.)[please read sarcasm here]

It seems like it goes a little deeper than just an interest/exposure to research.