First exposure?

[cartoondoc]

Now that I'm in PM&R, it seems amazing that there ever wasn't a time I didn't know what it was. But in reality, I had never even heard of PM&R until my clinical years. Did other people here have a similar experience?

What can we do as a specialty to give students earlier exposure? I'm not talking about rotations, but at least letting them know the specialty exists.

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[ColinHay]

I'm starting prelim this year and I plan to have occasional meetings with 1st and 2nd year students to intorduce them to PM&R.

 

[oreosandsake]

I just matched this year, but I think activities like this are important.

It does not matter if in the end these students have no interest in PM&R, as long as they can appreciate and understand the role that physiatrists play in the care of patients.

If they don't know what you do, how will they know when to make referrals?

I put together a program last year at Northwestern, the health and disabilities leadership institute. We trained medical students to implement their own local disability advocacy project (we encouraged them to take data, IRB, market their projects, etc) and encouraged them to be advocates for people with disabilities.

Another goal was to make them aware of the profound impact that therapy can have on a patient's life. We also took a tour of RIC and had therapists come and discuss their roles.

feedback from our group showed that many medical students were 1) not aware of the prevalence of chronic disease/disability, 2) did not use culturally sensitive language when it came to people with disabilities 3) had a hazy-at-best understanding of physiatry.

I am hoping to put this project on again this academic year - slated for spring of 2011. Maybe the AAPM&R would be interested in helping support it

http://hadli.wetpaint.com/

 

[lobelsteve]

What's a Physiatrist?

 

[cartoondoc]

What's a Physiatrist?

Is that like a physical therapist?

Oh wait, do you mean a psychiatrist?

 

[lobelsteve]

Get em while their hot!!!

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

Now that I'm in PM&R, it seems amazing that there ever wasn't a time I didn't know what it was. But in reality, I had never even heard of PM&R until my clinical years. Did other people here have a similar experience?

What can we do as a specialty to give students earlier exposure? I'm not talking about rotations, but at least letting them know the specialty exists.

My physiatrist partner and I are joining the faculty of the local med school to help educate med students on MSK issues. We want to help with learning PE skills, as well as basic MSK medicine. I already giev a coulpe lectures each year to M2s. Everytime I meet with students, I plug PM&R and give the 2 minute "What is PM&R" talk.

 

[RUOkie]

My physiatrist partner and I are joining the faculty of the local med school to help educate med students on MSK issues. We want to help with learning PE skills, as well as basic MSK medicine. I already giev a coulpe lectures each year to M2s. Everytime I meet with students, I plug PM&R and give the 2 minute "What is PM&R" talk.

So long as they don't mind your spelling...

 

[Ludicolo]

My physiatrist partner and I are joining the faculty of the local med school to help educate med students on MSK issues. We want to help with learning PE skills, as well as basic MSK medicine. I already giev a coulpe lectures each year to M2s. Everytime I meet with students, I plug PM&R and give the 2 minute "What is PM&R" talk.

We established a similar mandatory workshop at our medical school, working with the M2’s on the basic physical exam of the cervical and lumbar spine, shoulder, hip, knee. Also preceded by the “what are we” spiel. Very well received and you can tell that the interest is sparked in some students. Word of warning: be prepared to be curbsided by the students on all of their various strains, sprains, tears, etc.

 

[Momentum70]

At my school we all get to know about the PM&R dept. The residents come teach us in anatomy labs and lectures during first year. I guess we are lucky that there is a PM&R residency.

 

[OMMFan]

Is that like a physical therapist?

Oh wait, do you mean a psychiatrist?

My own mother urged me to reconsider my choice because she thought I went to medical school to learn about the whole body instead of just feet. She was so relieved when I clarified that physiatrists are PM&R docs.

I assumed it was a simple speakerphone-on-the-highway snafu until a patient agreed that caring for feet is very important after I mentioned that I am going to train in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation to become a physiatrist.

Perhaps a series of PM&R public service announcements is in order!

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

So long as they don't mind your spelling...

I can type 80+ WPM. But I make about 20-30 errors per minute at that rate.

I usually just blame spellcheck.