Is there a place for PM&R in disaster relief/missions?

[holowec1]

MS4 hoping to go into physiatry. Still deciding between PMR and primary care. Hope to be able to do mission work in the future and disaster relief (ie tsunami, Haiti etc)

I know that many people around the work have functional problems that need assistance but can a physiatrist really provide effective services to someone without an extensive cadre of the "allied health" that often works in rehabilitation?

As a physiatrist do you still feel comfortable enough with general medicine to be able to have a walk in clinic? I have passion for primary care but also love neuromusculoskeletal medicine. I want to find some way to do a mixture of both. Is this possible?

Thanks

concerned MS4 from grand rapids

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[kstarm]

I think that there definitely is a place for PM&R. I know the organization Helping Hands for Haiti routinely provides mission trips in which PMR is involved with. A number of residents from my program have done work with them, including recently after the earthquake. Your skill set after PMR training will be very worthwhile in mission trips/disaster situations. If your residency training is comprehensive you will learn not only neuromuscular medicine but also how to look at the "big" picture for your patients. You will learn how to creatively problem solve for them, as people with disabilities often need different and individualized approaches. You will also be very adept at working in teams which you will definitely use in this type of work.

I think primary care you could be another great choice, but you won't get the same exposure to neuromuscular medicine. I think PMR is excellently suited for working in mission/disaster relief type situations....of course I am a resident in pmr so factor that in as well

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

You'd be amazed what a Physiatrist could do without a "team" waiting around. Pain control. Prevention of complications of injuries and disabilities.Teaching of patients and familes to care for the disabled. Education on long-term preventative care of the disabled. Doing some of the PT themselves. Prescription of meds, adaptive aids, braces, etc.

Improving QOL is what we do.

 

[fozzy40]

There is definitely a place for physiatrists internationally. You'd be surprised at how differently physiatry is practice in other parts of the world. If you are interested in prosthetics and orthotics, there are some pretty cool organizations that do mission work.

 

[axm397]

Physiatrists went on Missions to Haiti and they also go on missions all the time. In Haiti, we took care of amputees and post-trauma patients. I think Andrew Haig at U Mich is active in international rehab. There is also a group called "helping hands" (I think) that went to Haiti. I know that one of the residencies in florida was active serving as a base for missions to Haiti.

 

[Phillyborn]

Physiatrists went on Missions to Haiti and they also go on missions all the time. In Haiti, we took care of amputees and post-trauma patients. I think Andrew Haig at U Mich is active in international rehab. There is also a group called "helping hands" (I think) that went to Haiti. I know that one of the residencies in florida was active serving as a base for missions to Haiti.

Yep, Helping Hands for Haiti

http://www.healinghandsforhaiti.org/Home/tabid/38/language/en-US/Default.aspx