Interested in PMR... not sure about future job safety

[BluntSurgeon]

PMR seems like a sweet ticket and I'm thinking about it because I am an exercise nut and I am also pretty lazy compared to all the wannabe orthopods in my class.

My only worry is that it seems like a field that has ZERO job safety in the future. I mean, what do they do that a physical therapist/midlevel can't do? Joint injections and EMGs seem like procedures that will be done by mid-levels and such in the future. They don't seem hard. Plus joint injections and EMGs are totally covered by other practitioners in the field (orthos, anes/pain, and neuros for EMG).

Lastly, it doesn't seem like there's much option for fellowship afterwards. Pain is incredibly competitive.. why would they give spots to PMRs when they can take Anesthesiologists from baller programs? Sports med seems like the only "lazy" option, but that seems pretty competitive too.

Thanks for all the advice!

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[fozzy40]

Can't wait to see the responses

 

[Ludicolo]

The OP is admittedly “lazy”, afraid of competition, and thinks injections and EMGs are easy. Yet thinks PM&R is “sweet” and is already discussing fellowships. Of the following, which best describes the OP:

a) Ill-informed
b) Excessively lifestyle focused
c) Probable mediocre board scores which discourages application to ROAD specialties, sees PM&R as a nice fallback.
d) Troll
e) All of the above

Your self-admitted laziness will ensure your own personal lack of future job security. The rest of us will be fine.

 

[RUOkie]

The OP is admittedly “lazy”, afraid of competition, and thinks injections and EMGs are easy. Yet thinks PM&R is “sweet” and is already discussing fellowships. Of the following, which best describes the OP:

a) Ill-informed
b) Excessively lifestyle focused
c) Probable mediocre board scores which discourages application to ROAD specialties, sees PM&R as a nice fallback.
d) Troll
e) All of the above

Your self-admitted laziness will ensure your own personal lack of future job security. The rest of us will be fine.

answer is "e"

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

We don't want you in PM&R.

People who are accepted in PM&R are:

A) Very educated about the field
B) Enthusiastic about what they can do to help patients

People who succeed in their career in PM&R are also highly motivated. "Lazy" doctors drift from job to job their whole careers and often end up running pill mills until the DEA sends them to a federal penitentiary.

Consider Chiropractic.

 

[BluntSurgeon]

The OP is admittedly “lazy”, afraid of competition, and thinks injections and EMGs are easy. Yet thinks PM&R is “sweet” and is already discussing fellowships. Of the following, which best describes the OP:

a) Ill-informed
b) Excessively lifestyle focused
c) Probable mediocre board scores which discourages application to ROAD specialties, sees PM&R as a nice fallback.
d) Troll
e) All of the above

Your self-admitted laziness will ensure your own personal lack of future job security. The rest of us will be fine.

I'm going to go with B, since I haven't even taken my boards yet, and a little of A, which is why I posted this in the first place.

I guess I made you guys angry because I brought up the thought that what you do for your career isn't safe from encroachment?

I should have known that even the PMRs on SDN are full of the same type of people that post in the pre-med forums.

We don't want you in PM&R.

People who are accepted in PM&R are:

A) Very educated about the field
B) Enthusiastic about what they can do to help patients

People who succeed in their career in PM&R are also highly motivated. "Lazy" doctors drift from job to job their whole careers and often end up running pill mills until the DEA sends them to a federal penitentiary.

Consider Chiropractic.

Perhaps I posted here to be educated about the future of PMR? Obviously "lazy" is relative here. I was determined and motivated enough to get into a top 20 medical school, and now I'm interested in YOUR FIELD, yet I'm just met with hostility. Again, shouldn't be surprised as this is SDN.

And to think PMR 4 MSK, I read your story about you being steam rolled by the hospital contract you signed for $125k + $50K or so yet were screwed over in the end by the hospital. It was in part due to that story that I wondered about PMR's job safety in the first place.

Oh well, I guess if you guys want to give me some thoughts on PMR's job safety please do, I'd really appreciate it. But at this point I'll just go talk to the PMRs that work at our various hospitals in real life - the ones who taught our MSK block are a thousand times more chill than you guys.

 

[end stage fibro]

I guess I made you guys angry because I brought up the thought that what you do for your career isn't safe from encroachment?

though your points are valid, i think everyone is more riled up because you phrased your questions with the gracefulness of a drunk rhinoceros. nothing wrong with being ill-informed and focused on lifestyle, but dude i'm surprised i didn't find a

buried somewhere in your first post.

 

[bronx43]

Perhaps I posted here to be educated about the future of PMR? Obviously "lazy" is relative here. I was determined and motivated enough to get into a top 20 medical school, and now I'm interested in YOUR FIELD, yet I'm just met with hostility. Again, shouldn't be surprised as this is SDN.

And to think PMR 4 MSK, I read your story about you being steam rolled by the hospital contract you signed for $125k + $50K or so yet were screwed over in the end by the hospital. It was in part due to that story that I wondered about PMR's job safety in the first place.

Oh well, I guess if you guys want to give me some thoughts on PMR's job safety please do, I'd really appreciate it. But at this point I'll just go talk to the PMRs that work at our various hospitals in real life - the ones who taught our MSK block are a thousand times more chill than you guys.

I think your approach in how you asked the question isn't exactly conducive to receiving well thought-out responses from seasoned attendings. I mean, I don't blame you for wanting a good lifestyle and something "easy," but keep in mind that you're coming into a forum full of physicians who have dedicated their careers to a specialty, and you're essentially telling them that their jobs are insecure (or at least questioning it), and that your only interest in the field is how few hours they work.

While I'm not surprised by this little flaming session, I do have to agree that you bring up some salient points. I think it's great for every specialty to reflect upon their own futures once in awhile, and plan accordingly. PM&R is a broad field, and that in itself seems like a double edged sword. On the one hand, having versatility means that there are more niches for you to occupy and thrive. However, it also makes it difficult for the field to form a complete identity - not to mention the fact that there isn't a specific market that PM&R can call its own other than inpatient rehab. EMGs are shared by neurologists, and MSK/pain/joints are shared by FM, sports med, anesthesiology, and orthos. I may be wrong, but all the primary care doctors I've spoken to rarely ever refer their patients to PM&R. Therefore, I'm not exactly sure how PM&R can create and expand their demand.
I'm pretty set on going into the field, but these are questions that still bug me sometimes.

Oh, and EMGs are as likely to be done by midlevels as EKGs, unless you mean collecting the data, instead of interpreting it.

 

[Ludicolo]

Perhaps I posted here to be educated about the future of PMR? Obviously "lazy" is relative here. I was determined and motivated enough to get into a top 20 medical school, and now I'm interested in YOUR FIELD, yet I'm just met with hostility. Again, shouldn't be surprised as this is SDN.

...

Oh well, I guess if you guys want to give me some thoughts on PMR's job safety please do, I'd really appreciate it. But at this point I'll just go talk to the PMRs that work at our various hospitals in real life - the ones who taught our MSK block are a thousand times more chill than you guys.

Then don’t come here starting off telling us that you're lazy. Not even a little bit. I could care less what school you go to. I don't care about your future board scores. You need to do your homework before approaching us. This field has enough people who entered it for the wrong “plenty of money and relaxation” reasons. They do not advance the field, and they give a poor representation of what PM&R is all about. The three attendings who responded here are VERY passionate about physiatry (and pretty successful, I might add), and we all want to see the field move forward. We’ve seen too many “lazy” people bring our field, and medicine in general, down. If we came off as too harsh, apologies.

The issues you brought up have been hashed and rehashed on this forum many times before. PM&R overlaps with many fields, but when looked at it comprehensively, emphasizing neuromusculoskeletalcardiopulmonarypsychosocial function, we truly are unique. Nobody does everything that we can do. Job encroachment from mid-levels and other specialties cuts across all fields, not just PM&R. For example, there are a substantial number and wide variety of health care providers who claim to perform EMGs. Physiatrists and neurologists certainly, but also PTs, chiropractors, and primary care physicians. Doesn’t mean they any of them do them well.

That’s what should drive you: find a specialty that fits your clinical or research interests, goals, personality, philosophy. Get the best training you can. Be passionate about your chosen field, because that will allow you to get the most out of your training. Take care of your patients better than the next guy. Keep learning. Hustle. Care. That’s how you spank the competition.

 

[Mattchiavelli]

RE: Neurologists and EMGs- if you want to sit for boards as a neurologist you have to do a fellowship now, and from what I understand you don't need to if you've done a PM&R residency.

RE: what is done above and beyond a PT/OT/SLP- what I experienced working with a Physiatrist at an inpatient subacute rehab hospital [she was medical director of stroke rehab]. I was confused as to what she would do at first since PT/OT/SLP has a lot more freedom than it did in the past.

-will evaluate patients to be admitted [patients need to have a certain degree of medical stability since there are less available resources compared to an acute care hospital]

-manages chronic medical conditions of patients needing medication [asthma, diabetes, CHF, etc]

-evaluates for new medical illnesses and makes the descision of sending them back to acute care/calling consult if needed [pneumonias, UTIs, re-infarcts]

-evaluates for new problems to be addressed by therapy [she still had to diagnose musculoskeletal issues although after that would write for therapy "DX- XXX, Evaluate and treat"]

-writes for medications that will assist in rehab therapy [pain management, spasticity control, meds for attention like methylphenidate]

-acted as the team leader of multidisciplinary patient care [basically orchestrated a good treatment plan amenable to patient, family, therapists, and social work]

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

PMR seems like a sweet ticket and I'm thinking about it because I am an exercise nut and I am also pretty lazy compared to all the wannabe orthopods in my class.

My only worry is that it seems like a field that has ZERO job safety in the future. I mean, what do they do that a physical therapist/midlevel can't do? Joint injections and EMGs seem like procedures that will be done by mid-levels and such in the future. They don't seem hard. Plus joint injections and EMGs are totally covered by other practitioners in the field (orthos, anes/pain, and neuros for EMG).

Lastly, it doesn't seem like there's much option for fellowship afterwards. Pain is incredibly competitive.. why would they give spots to PMRs when they can take Anesthesiologists from baller programs? Sports med seems like the only "lazy" option, but that seems pretty competitive too.

Thanks for all the advice!

You want real answers? Ok, I'll ignore your ill-planned phrases and answer:

What do we do that PT doesn't? Evaluate and diagnose, prescribe meds, prescribe PT, OT and other therapies, order diagnostic tests and do therpeutic and diagnsotic injections. we practice medicine, we don't do therapy.

What do we do that a mid-level can't? Use more years of higher-quality education for patient education, safety and effectiveness of treatment. Plus we won't shift the blame to our supervisor when things go bad.

Mid-levels don't do EMGs. They do an adequate at best job of collecting nerve conduction data for simple cases like carpal tunnel syndrome. They do not do needle exam, and do not interpret the findings. Ask any 3rd-year PM&R or neuro resident how hard EMGs are. They can be and frequently are incredibly complex, but very rewarding to do.

Job safety - no job in medicine is safe. Entire hospital departments get fired when a better contract comes along from a competing group. Everyone of your colleagues wants to see you fail, so they look and feel better about themselves and get a better chance at a bigger market share. Doctors will turn on each other in an instant and continually sell their souls to the highest bidder. The government has no concern for your career's well-being, and appears to be planning your conversion into a government employee or slave. And solo practice can be anywhere from highly lucrative to a total loss, and the former never lasts long.

Joint injections - I could train any human with half a brain to put a needle into any joint, or around any tendon or nerve. It's knowing when to do it that makes the difference between a needle-monkey and a physician.

Pain is competitive and you would have a better chance in Anesthesia. But you have to love your primary field more, because when/if the bottom falls out of pain, or you burn out, you will need your primary field as your parachute.

Almost everything we do in PM&R is done or could be done by someone in another field. We just do it better, and we do it all together. A well-trained Physiatrist is a one-stop shop for all of musculoskeletal medicine. Besides surgery, we do it all.

 

[fozzy40]

Thumbs up to the med students contributing...you guys bring up great points and are describing the field accurately.

I absolutely think that PM&R as a field has job security. Until people stop getting disabled, we'll be in good shape! Our field is vast and covers a multitude of systems which is what makes it great! At the same time, it can be hard to describe what our function is in the system . However, this problem is not new and the field as a whole has been relatively stable for the past 60+ years.

With the way that healthcare is going, outcomes research is going to be HUGE! As mentioned, the utility of PM&R in the inpatient world is a little more clear when compared to outpatient because necessity is a little more "obvious" with diagnoses like SCI, TBI, and Stroke. In the outpatient world, PM&R docs likely fall into acute/chronic MSK management, electrodiagnostics, interventional spine, or some combination of all three. Because we share common complaints (i.e. back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain) seen by other specialties there will be a time when they will be looking at "who does it best." I'm obviously biased but I suspect that we (PM&R) utilize resources better and get patients back to a higher level of function better when compared to the rest.

In the future (if not now), we are going to looking at factors like:
-return to work
-decreased medication use
-decreased surgeries
-decreased length of stay
-decreased therapy visits
-QOL
-disability

I believe that when patients are managed by physiatrists that these outcomes will be better when compared to FM, IM, Rheum, Ortho, and Neuro.

Check out these links:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2138664
http://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...ity-Health-Members-Equipped-Smart-Health-Care

It's going to be interesting when and if they do head to head studies.

 

[sugarcrash56]

Just a comment, sort of related:

It's kind of depressing to hear that specalties are being overlapped and doctors (may) have a hard time finding a job. It seems like everyone just thinks that doctors find jobs no matter what and they never lose them. This thread kind of puts things into perspective.

 

[fozzy40]

Just a comment, sort of related:

It's kind of depressing to hear that specalties are being overlapped and doctors (may) have a hard time finding a job. It seems like everyone just thinks that doctors find jobs no matter what and they never lose them. This thread kind of puts things into perspective.

I know that you are probably just making a general statement/opinion.

For the sake of this thread and for the OP, physiatrists are not having a hard time finding jobs.

 

[sugarcrash56]

I know that you are probably just making a general statement/opinion.

For the sake of this thread and for the OP, physiatrists are not having a hard time finding jobs.

This makes my heart flutter with joy.

 

[fozzy40]

This makes my heart flutter with joy.

Great! Are you interested in PM&R?

 

[cartoondoc]

Just a comment, sort of related:

It's kind of depressing to hear that specalties are being overlapped and doctors (may) have a hard time finding a job. It seems like everyone just thinks that doctors find jobs no matter what and they never lose them. This thread kind of puts things into perspective.

I think it's the same story with any field:

If you want your dream job, you have to be geographically flexible. If you are willing to have a job that isn't exactly what you want, you can live wherever you want.

 

[sugarcrash56]

Great! Are you interested in PM&R?

Very. I'm only an undergrad, but I feel like this field fits my personality more so than any other field. Plus, I've had lower back problems for most of my life; been to a physiotherapist, chiropractor, and sports medicine doctor, with no real answers. If I could help people with problems like that as a physiatrist, I would be very happy indeed.

 

[MedBronc23]

Although the poster is likely an ignorant Troll, I believe good can come from evil

I told the medical students that I advise on PM&R to look at this post for the sheer ignorance and misinformation that they will face by choosing our field.

I am so encouraged by the responses from residents, attendings, and students. We truly are a united field, and that is one of the things that attracted me to PM&R. TEAM 1st mentalilty.

I have no worries about going into this field. I did not choose it for lifestyle only nor as some crusade. I truly enjoyed the field, the ability to see all people from all walks of life (because disability, pain, and injury prey on every race, creed, age, and demographic). Physical function is a primary need for all people, and that really attracted me.

I agree that we do pain better than Anesthesia (We know just as much about the medicines, we know just as much about the procedures if not more because our Neuro and MSK anatomic knowledge is better, and we are much better with the psychosocial aspects that play into pain medicine) Plus being better at physical exam and diagnosing the pain generator puts a check in our box.

Just as good at EMG and NCS as neuro..arguably better because our understanding of the peripheral nervous system is much broader during training than theirs. Plus they do not have great MSK knowledge. Again check box PM&R.

We can do basic medicine on our inpatient SCI, TBI, Amputee pts ect.

We see peds patients and our many disabled pediatric patient's primary care docs.

As far as sports goes we are >>>>>>FP, IM ('nuff said). and equally good as Ortho if not better or a wash because they cut. we can inject, diagnose, and prescribe a detailed rehab program and therapies. We know kinesiology and anatomy just as well. Most sports injuries are not surgical issues, and I think we excel here.

Our pay may be less than GAS RADS ORTHO SURG, but our hours make up for that. I do guarantee more PM&R doctors enjoy the money they earn because they have time to spend it and use it on their families and loved ones. WE love our jobs without having to be shackled to them.

Physiatry is a great and rewarding field. We just need more research and more positive representatives selling our field through their practice, better patient outcomes, and living the ideals of our field. We put the whole person first when it comes to patient care. You will never have a more person centered doc than a physiatrist. Guarantee it.

And now off the soapbox to finish my check out list at work

 

[fozzy40]

Very. I'm only an undergrad, but I feel like this field fits my personality more so than any other field. Plus, I've had lower back problems for most of my life; been to a physiotherapist, chiropractor, and sports medicine doctor, with no real answers. If I could help people with problems like that as a physiatrist, I would be very happy indeed.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Glad to help!

 

[RUOkie]

I guess I made you guys angry because I brought up the thought that what you do for your career isn't safe from encroachment?

Obviously "lazy" is relative here. I was determined and motivated enough to get into a top 20 medical school, and now I'm interested in YOUR FIELD, yet I'm just met with hostility.

Oh well, I guess if you guys want to give me some thoughts on PMR's job safety please do, I'd really appreciate it. But at this point I'll just go talk to the PMRs that work at our various hospitals in real life - the ones who taught our MSK block are a thousand times more chill than you guys.

OK sir, I'll bite again. I was not angry because I was concerned that my career is not safe from encroachment. Because I am the one doing the encroaching. I have a very sucessfull practice, in a field that I LOVE. I am also very far from lazy. That is what made me angry, and why I feel you are a troll.

Anyone who describes themself as lazy has no business being a doctor. Every single lazy doctor I have met in my 15yrs of practicing medicine has been a bad doctor. REGARDLESS OF SPECIALTY!

The good doctors are the gunners. The people who seek out every single difficult thing they can find so that they continue to learn. They are active in their medical community, both societies (local/state/national) and medical staff leadership postions. They also ingratiate themselves with their peers. That way they become necessary to their peers.

My local neurosurgeon (and now close friend) said to me last week, "how did I take care of these people before you came to town?" He now cannot even remember.

Notice I have spent no time discussing PM&R. Because the best way to learn about us is to spend some time with those "chill" doctors you mentioned. Who likely are not all that "chill" in their clinics. They are likely kick ass doctors who love their job.

 

[Medstudent85]

Great post! Although the OP wanted to incite some fire, the answers have been very helpful to people like me trying to weigh all options before choosing a field.

Thanks and keep them coming please

 

[juliedi]

Great post! Although the OP wanted to incite some fire, the answers have been very helpful to people like me trying to weigh all options before choosing a field.

Thanks and keep them coming please

Agreed! I'll be starting med school this August, and as of now PM&R is absolutely the specialty I'm most interested in. I took a class in undergrad in Rehabilitation Engineering, which was the first time I'd ever even heard of this specialty. But since then I've learned more about it, and I like what I've learned! Reading this thread has shown me all the awesome things that PM&R has to offer and reaffirmed for me that it's something I'd enjoy. Thanks to everyone who posted.

 

[axm397]

Interesting that people bring up job security in this age of ACOs, medical homes, and healthcare reform.

I think that if you practice good medicine, can document what you do effectively, make patients and referring docs happy (part of documentation is communicating what and why you are doing what you do), and use the skill set you will learn in residency, you will be fine. Most of the more attractive locations are saturated. (and not just PM&R but all fields) But there is always room for GOOD people who know how to sell their skills and show the referring docs and patients what they are missing out on. My practice has been growing slowly but I am finally seeing the fruits of my labor in the form of referrals from past patients, family members, and the addition of good referring docs one at a time. ACOs and medical home models will show the cost effectiveness of Physiatry (see my previous post on spine care and Physiatry). I think the future of Physiatry is secure.

To the OP: Unfortunately, PM&R is not a "sweet ticket". PM&R doesn't give you automatic admission into some country club lifestyle. Being an exercise nut doesn't really give you much compatibility with Physiatry - just like being female and having given birth doesn't make you more compatible with Ob/Gyn as a field. I doubt that radiologists are passionate about sitting in dark rooms and staring at a computer screen all day... (well... maybe....)

If you are serious about exploring PM&R, I would start with a search on this forum about the difference between PT/midlevel and Physiatrists. It's also interesting that you are so focused on the procedures - when you take a board exam, they are testing your "body of knowledge". The other posters are right - you can teach anyone to do injections - I have seen medical students be able to perform spine injections blindly following an attending's command to go right, left, up, down, etc. It's what comes before the injections and procedures that separate us from other practitioners and what we spend all that time in med school and residency for - the history taking, the differential diagnoses, physical exam, and medical decision making.

As far as fellowship goes - there is competition in any field. Getting into a good residency and securing a good fellowship requires work in any field. If you wanted to avoid competition, you probably should have done something else. I'm assuming that since you say you did well enough to get into medical school, your emotional and mental maturity just hasn't caught up to your book smartness yet. I think if you had friends or family members who have experienced losses or disabling conditions, or you yourself had to survive through some tough circumstances, you would stop thinking about medicine as a "ticket" or a "job" and more as a "career". I hope you are just putting up a front and you are not as superficial as you come across. I'm sure being able to stay behind an username allows you to write more freely.

My hope for the OP is that he/she finds something that makes him/her feel passionate enough that the amount of work/time/energy required doesn't seem like a daunting task. Unfortunately, I don't think PM&R is the right fit for the OP but it's very gratifying and uplifting to see the interest from the other students!

 

[Eilat87]

Love this thread. We get to see med students/soon to be med students who are interested in PM&R coming out of the woodworks!

 

[avisualperson]

If you are serious about exploring PM&R, I would start with a search on this forum about the difference between PT/midlevel and Physiatrists.

Hi all, I'm a fledgling post-bacc looking at my options; my intention in going back to school is to get a DPT degree but I've been exposed to PM&R through friends, colleagues and research and this (and many other) thread is quite informative. It's a general question but I couldn't find that earlier thread on PT/midlevel vs physiatrist, can someone point the way?

I'm halfway through my post-bacc program now and about to sign up for both organic chem and A&P because I haven't made up my mind; how much more rewarding is a career as a physiatrist than as a physical therapist considering the additional time/cost/difficulty of application, etc.? I feel it is within reach but, quite a bit further than DPT. Also, any drawbacks/differences between MD/DO if I want to do PM&R eventually?

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

Hi all, I'm a fledgling post-bacc looking at my options; my intention in going back to school is to get a DPT degree but I've been exposed to PM&R through friends, colleagues and research and this (and many other) thread is quite informative. It's a general question but I couldn't find that earlier thread on PT/midlevel vs physiatrist, can someone point the way?

I'm halfway through my post-bacc program now and about to sign up for both organic chem and A&P because I haven't made up my mind; how much more rewarding is a career as a physiatrist than as a physical therapist considering the additional time/cost/difficulty of application, etc.? I feel it is within reach but, quite a bit further than DPT. Also, any drawbacks/differences between MD/DO if I want to do PM&R eventually?

To go from PT to PM&R means 4 years of medical school and 4 years of residency. But you'd have to take the MCAT first. So it would depend if you've had enough of the basic sciences to get a good score on that.ve been a number of PTs go this route.

MD vs DO is more based on your preferences for belief systems. In general, though, DO does not get as much respect as an MD in the medical community at large. In reality, most people don't care which you have.

Also, there are more DOs in PM&R that any other allopathic specialty, by %.

 

[avisualperson]

thanks PMR4MSK; I've given it some thought and spoke with folks who are DOs, DPTs, MDs, and . . . . unfortunately not much closer to a conclusion. my grades are excellent so far but certainly MCAT > GRE. I did figure that the extra 5 years (3-year DPT, 8-year PM&R) means 5 years longer/shorter of a career if I assume the same retirement age which gives me some pause; a shorter but more rewarding career (not necessarily financially) with DO/PM&R? I will spend any offtime I have doing some actual shadowing/volunteering to try and get my head around things.

 

[Spartyon]

Although the poster is likely an ignorant Troll, I believe good can come from evil

I told the medical students that I advise on PM&R to look at this post for the sheer ignorance and misinformation that they will face by choosing our field.

I am so encouraged by the responses from residents, attendings, and students. We truly are a united field, and that is one of the things that attracted me to PM&R. TEAM 1st mentalilty.

I have no worries about going into this field. I did not choose it for lifestyle only nor as some crusade. I truly enjoyed the field, the ability to see all people from all walks of life (because disability, pain, and injury prey on every race, creed, age, and demographic). Physical function is a primary need for all people, and that really attracted me.

I agree that we do pain better than Anesthesia (We know just as much about the medicines, we know just as much about the procedures if not more because our Neuro and MSK anatomic knowledge is better, and we are much better with the psychosocial aspects that play into pain medicine) Plus being better at physical exam and diagnosing the pain generator puts a check in our box.

Just as good at EMG and NCS as neuro..arguably better because our understanding of the peripheral nervous system is much broader during training than theirs. Plus they do not have great MSK knowledge. Again check box PM&R.

We can do basic medicine on our inpatient SCI, TBI, Amputee pts ect.

We see peds patients and our many disabled pediatric patient's primary care docs.

As far as sports goes we are >>>>>>FP, IM ('nuff said). and equally good as Ortho if not better or a wash because they cut. we can inject, diagnose, and prescribe a detailed rehab program and therapies. We know kinesiology and anatomy just as well. Most sports injuries are not surgical issues, and I think we excel here.

Our pay may be less than GAS RADS ORTHO SURG, but our hours make up for that. I do guarantee more PM&R doctors enjoy the money they earn because they have time to spend it and use it on their families and loved ones. WE love our jobs without having to be shackled to them.

Physiatry is a great and rewarding field. We just need more research and more positive representatives selling our field through their practice, better patient outcomes, and living the ideals of our field. We put the whole person first when it comes to patient care. You will never have a more person centered doc than a physiatrist. Guarantee it.

And now off the soapbox to finish my check out list at work

well said!! This post pretty much sums up why Physiatry is an awesome field. The most exciting thing that draws me into this field is actually having a satisfying and rewarding experience with patients in which they walk out of your office feeling more in control of their own lives. Giving patients empowerment to understand their situation for better outcomes is a great feeling I imagine.

 

[thecgrblue]

Quick interjection, love this thread. I'm super interested in PM&R, but for the life of me I can't get any to let me shadow them in my area.

The PM&R forum and good threads like this is where I get most of my info.

 

[RUOkie]

Quick interjection, love this thread. I'm super interested in PM&R, but for the life of me I can't get any to let me shadow them in my area.

The PM&R forum and good threads like this is where I get most of my info.

where do you live? PM me, and I'll see if I can find someone who let you. Most good docs I know are happy to have med students/premed shadow them.