Hated MSK Anatomy = PMR not for you?

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

So I hated MSK anatomy a lot. I thought that learning 500 muscles with their individual innervation, insertions, functions, etc was extremely unpleasant as was dissection. But I also find physical medicine and working with my hands, along with the problems in the population ( a mix of Neuro and etc) to be interesting. Likewise the Residency match test seems to always think I'd be a good match for PM&R....

Would you say that not being into MSK anatomy is a major reason to avoid PM&R?

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[DMBandFan86]

You'll eventually have to learn MSK and neuroanatomy extremely well, especially peripheral. You will have to learn EMG / NCS which requires fundamental understanding of anatomy. If you do end up doing exclusively inpatient PM&R then you do mostly internal medicine, very little hands on. But to pass your residency and boards you can't get around anatomy.

 

[j4pac]

MSK is our bread and butter. I don't think that you have to LOVE MSK anatomy...but you have to know it and be able to apply it. I'd do a well-rounded PM&R and Neuro rotation...if you HATE either, I'd recommend not doing PM&R.

 

[68PGunner]

MSK is our bread and butter. I don't think that you have to LOVE MSK anatomy...but you have to know it and be able to apply it. I'd do a well-rounded PM&R and Neuro rotation...if you HATE either, I'd recommend not doing PM&R.

So... I have a question. What happens if you like both PMR and Neuro? How do you decide on which field?

 

[DMBandFan86]

Neuro - If you find responding to stroke codes all day and night long exciting. If you like treating acute strokes (very routine in my opinion). Being consulted for acute encephalopathy a lot. Diagnosing complicated problems but not really focusing on functional status. If you enjoy reading EEG's. Must like to treat seizure disorder. Outpatient can be different and you can vary your practice more on what you like (HA, stroke, MS, Parkinson's, movement disorders, epilepsy, general, etc).

PM&R - Hospital PM&R: if you like internal medicine. If you like seeing patients for a longer period of time and trying to improve their functional capacity (usually based on some type neurological or MSK problem). Outpatient: varies a lot too. Lots of different areas (spinal cord, brain injury, sports medicine, general, pain management, EMG, etc). If you enjoy more functional neurology and peripheral neurology. If you have compassion for disability and chronic pain and doing non-operative management of these issues. Want to work closer with PT/OT/TR/SLP.

You will have to learn EMG/NCS either way.

 

[j4pac]

Neuro - If you find responding to stroke codes all day and night long exciting. If you like treating acute strokes (very routine in my opinion). Being consulted for acute encephalopathy a lot. Diagnosing complicated problems but not really focusing on functional status. If you enjoy reading EEG's. Must like to treat seizure disorder. Outpatient can be different and you can vary your practice more on what you like (HA, stroke, MS, Parkinson's, movement disorders, epilepsy, general, etc).

PM&R - Hospital PM&R: if you like internal medicine. If you like seeing patients for a longer period of time and trying to improve their functional capacity (usually based on some type neurological or MSK problem). Outpatient: varies a lot too. Lots of different areas (spinal cord, brain injury, sports medicine, general, pain management, EMG, etc). If you enjoy more functional neurology and peripheral neurology. If you have compassion for disability and chronic pain and doing non-operative management of these issues. Want to work closer with PT/OT/TR/SLP.

You will have to learn EMG/NCS either way.

If you are considering Sports or Pain...hands down, PMR.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

MSK is our bread and butter. I don't think that you have to LOVE MSK anatomy...but you have to know it and be able to apply it. I'd do a well-rounded PM&R and Neuro rotation...if you HATE either, I'd recommend not doing PM&R.

Honestly, I don't love or know it all that well because I genuinely think that muscles on their own are kind of boring as hell. Like there's nothing inherently interesting to me about the 3 layers of muscles in the foot and that information in my opinion was so quickly tossed out of my head that I doubt it will ever come back lol.

 

[oreosandsake]

So I hated MSK anatomy a lot. I thought that learning 500 muscles with their individual innervation, insertions, functions, etc was extremely unpleasant as was dissection. But I also find physical medicine and working with my hands, along with the problems in the population ( a mix of Neuro and etc) to be interesting. Likewise the Residency match test seems to always think I'd be a good match for PM&R....

Would you say that not being into MSK anatomy is a major reason to avoid PM&R?

I hated MSK anatomy as a student. it didn't make any sense to me. that didn't deter me from PM&R

now I know an incredible amount of MSK anatomy including Ultrasound, MRI etc and I enjoy it a lot.

i wouldn't make a large decision like that so early on over such a gross generalization of the field

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I hated MSK anatomy as a student. it didn't make any sense to me. that didn't deter me from PM&R

now I know an incredible amount of MSK anatomy including Ultrasound, MRI etc and I enjoy it a lot.

i wouldn't make a large decision like that so early on over such a gross generalization of the field

I guess this answers my question somewhat then haha. I guess I really need to look into finding a rotation in 4th year or moonlighting this year.

 

[oreosandsake]

I guess this answers my question somewhat then haha. I guess I really need to look into finding a rotation in 4th year or moonlighting this year.

many things feel meaningless until you can apply them. just wait. see if you even like the work first.

 

[Kissmyabjj]

Functional MSK anatomy (i.e. muscular synergies and how they affect movement patterns following injury) is pretty different and much more interesting than MSK anatomy as it is taught in medical school.