Are you happy in PM&R? The trending questionnaire thread

[alegitbroski]

There's a similar thread running in the EM/radiology/anesthesia/surgery forums with some great and informative responses. I know there's a lot of talk here about the general future of this specialty, but I think people would enjoy hearing from current young and older PM&R attendings how things actually are for you (aside from the whole covid thing). I fear the responses may not be as robust as other forums since it’s usually quieter here, relatively. Nonetheless, here we go:

Are you happy working as an physiatrist (0-10)?
What was your reason for going into PM&R in the first place?
Did you decide to do a fellowship? Why or why not?
Do you like your hours? Do you feel like you have enough time with your family/other interests?
Do you work in an academic center or private practice? Have you ever switched from one to the other, if so why?
Do you feel fairly compensated?
Would you mind sharing rough approximate of your compensation?
Would you choose PM&R again?
If you HAD to choose a different specialty, what would it be?
Anything else you'd like to share?

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[Chelsea FC]

 

[Butterfly23]

I do not find the survey above is not accurate. The trend may be right which means higher reimbursement specialty happier they tend to be. When I was a resident, I put A+ on everything on ACGME survey regarding my program
so did I commit the crime??? no

 

[Chelsea FC]

I do not find the survey above is not accurate. The trend may be right which means higher reimbursement specialty happier they tend to be. When I was a resident, I put A+ on everything on ACGME survey regarding my program
so did I commit the crime??? no

Thats great! I just find it weird as a medical student who is interested in PM&R that the field normally is on the lower end of these surveys consistently.

 

[cluelessme7]

Also keep in mind the survey response rates. 1% of the speciality does not accurately represent the whole

 

[j4pac]

I remember reading the survey...didn’t actually participate. PM&R was dead last in whether you’d choose MEDICINE again. So some of the people who filled out the survey didn’t like medicine but still would choose PM&R again. I personally love the speciality.

 

[PMR2008]

Are you happy working as an physiatrist (0-10)?
9

What was your reason for going into PM&R in the first place?
I have always loved the MSK and neuro systems. Didn't want to be a surgeon but wanted to do procedures. Overtime my interest in sports medicine grew and ended up doing a fellowship. Now I prefer a mix of geriatric and sports medicine. I love the geriatric population. Under informed and typically very appreciative of what I can do for them. They treat me like a son/grandson.

Did you decide to do a fellowship? Why or why not?
I am not a fan of non procedural fellowships like TBI and SCI. Pain and Sports fellowship makes sense.

Do you like your hours? Do you feel like you have enough time with your family/other interests?
Absolutely. I am an independent contractor and own my practice. I make my own hours. Never work more than 40 hours a week.

Do you work in an academic center or private practice? Have you ever switched from one to the other, if so why?
Private practice. I don't like bureaucracy

Do you feel fairly compensated?
Absolutely

Would you mind sharing rough approximate of your compensation?
I would rather not share publicly or privately

Would you choose PM&R again?
Yes.

If you HAD to choose a different specialty, what would it be?
Maybe Ortho surgery or palliative

Anything else you'd like to share?
PM&R is about adding life to years versus years to life. We focus on function and quality of life. My goal is always to help my patients achieve fulfillment in life and to help them enjoy the things they like to do. I get to know patients over years. I personally think docs who do not like PM&R either picked the wrong specialty ( A decade or more ago FMG who did not match anywhere else used to pick PM&R) or they are in the wrong job. Most Physiatrist I know personally love what they do.

 

[runfastnow]

There's a similar thread running in the EM/radiology/anesthesia/surgery forums with some great and informative responses. I know there's a lot of talk here about the general future of this specialty, but I think people would enjoy hearing from current young and older PM&R attendings how things actually are for you (aside from the whole covid thing). I fear the responses may not be as robust as other forums since it’s usually quieter here, relatively. Nonetheless, here we go:

Are you happy working as an physiatrist (0-10)?
What was your reason for going into PM&R in the first place?
Did you decide to do a fellowship? Why or why not?
Do you like your hours? Do you feel like you have enough time with your family/other interests?
Do you work in an academic center or private practice? Have you ever switched from one to the other, if so why?
Do you feel fairly compensated?
Would you mind sharing rough approximate of your compensation?
Would you choose PM&R again?
If you HAD to choose a different specialty, what would it be?
Anything else you'd like to share?

Are you happy working as an physiatrist (0-10)?
8.5/10

What was your reason for going into PM&R in the first place?
I went into medical school knowing I wanted to do sports medicine. Flirted with ortho (and actually GI) and decided PM&R sports was my calling after treating some CP/spina bifida kids.

Did you decide to do a fellowship? Why or why not?
Sports fellowship. I wanted to be a team doc for a major university or pro team and wanted to do procedures along with avoiding the stereotypical "pain patient".

Do you like your hours? Do you feel like you have enough time with your family/other interests?
I love my hours. My call is going to sporting events. I love sports in general - so its not really even work to me. Sometimes it interferes with a family event, but 4-6 hours on a weekend at a sporting event beats 24 hour call dealing with kidneys or vents or some other such thing. Clinic is typical 8-5.

Do you work in an academic center or private practice? Have you ever switched from one to the other, if so why?
Private practice. I have no time or patience for the arrogance and bureaucracy involved with academics. If I/the practice wants to make a change - we just do it. We don't need to beg to six sub-committees to decide our fates. Plus we can tailor our research and QI to what we do best and improve it.

Do you feel fairly compensated?
Absolutely. Production based compensation - work hard, get compensated for it.

Would you mind sharing rough approximate of your compensation?
PM me.

Would you choose PM&R again?
Absolutely

If you HAD to choose a different specialty, what would it be?
Optho - it was my very last rotation before graduating medical school and they have the coolest machines to treat eyeballs.

Anything else you'd like to share?
Regardless of the path you choose in PM&R make sure you develop useful procedural or other relevant skills (EMG, US, fluoro, Botox, prosthetics, etc.). Inpatient PM&R can (and perhaps will) be overrun by IM or NP/PAs, "general" outpatient PM&R will be taken over by ortho PA/NPs - you need to be able to do something that others can't do ... and read a finance book every once in a while so you know how money works and you have a relative chance of not getting screwed by your employer or advisor.