New Name Suggestions

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So there are a few threads/posts that focused on what your ideal name for "Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation" would be if you had the choice. I think the topic originated from too many people thinking PMR was just physical therapy. Anyone have any new creative ideas?

I for one would love to to liken it to our other musculoskeletal colleagues and call it something like "Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Medicine" although that wouldn't quite encompass the "neuro" aspects of the field. What do you think?

ORM instead of PMR


(this is meant to be a lighthearted thread).
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this is pretty much impossible to incorporate all we do into a name. our current "PM&R" doesn't address the neuro or EMG/NCV aspect we deal with. i'll probably have to come up with a name to tell patients, but keep PM&R for inter-physician communication.

looking forward to the names people come up with.
 
hah.. I agree with dc2md, very difficult endeavour. Orthopedics and Rehabiliation Medicine isn't bad. I agree that it may prevent some from confusing us with physical therapy, but it still doesn't incorporate the Neuro.
(Although the Neuro aspects of PMR can be incorporated in the "Rehabiliation" subheading, no?)

So for lack of creativity on my part I'll support
Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Medicine

Can anyone think of a humorous acronym? :D
 
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MSKmonky said:
hah.. I agree with dc2md, very difficult endeavour. Orthopedics and Rehabiliation Medicine isn't bad. I agree that it may prevent some from confusing us with physical therapy, but it still doesn't incorporate the Neuro.
(Although the Neuro aspects of PMR can be incorporated in the "Rehabiliation" subheading, no?)

So for lack of creativity on my part I'll support
Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Medicine

Can anyone think of a humorous acronym? :D
Click to expand...

How about R.O.M. = rehab and ortho med or for simplicity functionologists...
 
Oh god, do you really want to tell people that you are trained in ORM??

How about PMNR? :)
 
how about "Conservative Ortho & Rehab"
 
Ludicolo said:
Ampersandologists
Click to expand...

Heh... well, we could make the N stand for something. Like neurology. Physical Medicine, Neurology, and Rehabilitation... PMNR. Everyone calls it that anyway, so it's perfect. :)
 
I always liked "Functionologist"

Joel Press gave a very funny talk about this at his AAPMR presidential address a few years ago, showing all the failed alternative names, many of which were pretty ridiculous

My favorite line from the talk was "too bad our field doesn't roll of the tongue like "otolargyngologist."

His point is well taken- I think we as a field place suffer an inferiority complex and a lack of recognition. In assigning blame, I think we place to much blame on our name (which is admittedly ill-thought out), and not enough on policing the poor quality of care that our field often provides

That said, I think the other problem is that when we do a good job, we have to make sure that people know that we are physiatrists. That's how our field get recognized
 
I'm courious to why don't we just use the terms Physiatry/Physiatrist and do away with PM&R? Like Psychiatrist who technically practice psychology and behavioral medicine (P&BM).
 
topwise said:
What were the funny failed alternative names?
Click to expand...

From: Press J. Physiatrist 2007: who are we and where are we going? Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2008;89:1-3.

Myoneurobiologist
Neuromuscular orthopedist
Regenerist
Orthomyologist
Strategic medicine specialist
Neurosynergist
Physiomed
Flexicologist
Biomedist
Externist
 
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goodandplenty said:
I'm courious to why don't we just use the terms Physiatry/Physiatrist and do away with PM&R? Like Psychiatrist who technically practice psychology and behavioral medicine (P&BM).
Click to expand...

Actually, I think that's a really good idea. It would help avoid the following exchanges:

"So what's your specialty?"
"PM&R."
"What?"
"PM&R."
"P... M... N.... what?"
"Physical medicine and rehabilitation."
"What's that?"
"Um.... it's kind of like... being the doctor coordinating rehab for people with strokes, brain injuries, stuff like that."
"Oh, that's nice. So what do you call yourself? Are you a neurologist?"
"No, I'm a physiatrist."
"What?"
[stabs self in eye]
 
i gotta say, i like the "neuromuscular orthopedist" name best.
 
Ludicolo said:
From: Press J. Physiatrist 2007: who are we and where are we going? Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2008;89:1-3.

Myoneurobiologist
Neuromuscular orthopedist
Regenerist
Orthomyologist
Strategic medicine specialist
Neurosynergist
Physiomed
Flexicologist
Biomedist
Externist
Click to expand...

I think externist/External Medicine would be a really good one, to contrast us with IM, but then again, isn't external medicine what dermatology does?
 
Neuromuscular orthopedist

or

Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Medicine

get my vote
 
topwise said:
Actually, I think that's a really good idea. It would help avoid the following exchanges:

"So what's your specialty?"
"PM&R."
"What?"
"PM&R."
"P... M... N.... what?"
"Physical medicine and rehabilitation."
"What's that?"
"Um.... it's kind of like... being the doctor coordinating rehab for people with strokes, brain injuries, stuff like that."
"Oh, that's nice. So what do you call yourself? Are you a neurologist?"
"No, I'm a physiatrist."
"What?"
[stabs self in eye]
Click to expand...

:laugh:
 
Personally, I like strategic medicine specialist. Makes us sound like ninjas.

:ninja:

We should be known as the ninjas of medicine.
 
yeah I goning to vote for the neuromuscular ortho group... but I can see the hardcore inpatient types not sitting well with that one! Oh, well, probably will never come to fruition
 
I happen to really dislike any name for us that contains orthopedics- I don't like defining us relative to another field. We should have our own identity

As an aside, this is why the term "neurogenic claudication" annoys me. I dislike the idea of defining a pathology in terms of another one (don't worry, this isn't the "real" claudication, it's just some neuro problem).
 
Hey rehabsportsdoc,
Any reason why you don't like to relate PMR to ortho? I understand we need our own identity, but I don't see any identity-issues between Neurology and Neurosurgery. PMR is a mixture of clinical orthopedics, neurology, quality of life care, function, pain, and ..well rehab. Neuromuscular orthopedist seems like it fits. although I wonder how we'd introduce ourselves... "Hi, I work for the department of neuromuscular orthoped..ology. "...orthopology? Department of Neuromuscular Orthopedic Medicine. NOM
 
Functionalist or functional medicine?
 
Physical therapy doctor sounds perfect
 
How about podiatrist? Since that's what everyone in my family calls me anyway.
 
haha.. physical therapy doctor... almost had a seizure when I read that.

Honestly... Neuromuscular Orthopedist or Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Medicine. I'm going on a hunger strike until it's made official!! Once the name is set, it will breath new life into the field!! (over-dramatic)

Never really liked "physiatry" because it resembled psychiatry too closely.... thus causing further confusion.
 
Neuromuscular Orthopedic Medicine.

Nom nom nom nom....
 
Nom nom nom nom nom!!

NOM is really growing on me now. The first thing that you learn about a field is it's name. It's often the thing you remember the most too. Tell a lay person that you practice physical medicine and they probably won't have a clue what it is. Tell a person they you practice Neuromuscular Orthopedics and they already have a general idea. That in itself is powerful, no? "NOM" will clue the lay person into minimally grasping the wide net that we cast in the medical world.

What do you all think? would they then be more inclined to ask for a NOM consult. Would general physicians be more inclined to consult Neuromuscular Orthopedics. At least other physicians would have more of a general concept of what the field entails.

And think how easily you could change the title of the PM&R journal to NOM.
 
PM&R is now the "cookie monster" specialty lol
 
blue, furry, and with exophthalmos?
 
> Hey rehabsportsdoc,
Any reason why you don't like to relate PMR to ortho?

I think it is hard to define your own identity if is defined in context to something else

I love my orthopedic colleagues, but we do different things. Think of it the other way around- would they like to be referred to as surgical physiatrists? Doing so inherently limits your identity to the scope of what you are being compared to.

As an analogy, imagine if the internet was called "the digital newspaper." That would be incredibly limiting for what the internet was capable of. Stretching out that aside, I think this is why so many of the newspapers are failing now- they viewed the internet as this little digital version of what they were doing in print form, and didn't fully realize the full potential of what the internet offered

So, all the variations of non-operative orthopedic really limits the scope of our practice. For example, a major part of my practice is dealing with muscle loss and how it affects function. That has far more to do with endocrinology than it does orthopedics, but I don't call myself a functional endocrinologist

There are so many parts of our field that have nothing to do with orthopedics- spasticity management, lymphedema managment- heck, TBI, stroke, and the entirety of neuro rehab

Anyway, that's why I think it's a mistake to reference ourselves to another specialty- doing so is inherently limiting
 
Ludicolo said:
Personally, I like strategic medicine specialist. Makes us sound like ninjas.

:ninja:

We should be known as the ninjas of medicine.
Click to expand...
:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
This was so funny. If it wasn't past 11 PM I'd have laughed out loud.
 
In my area, all the MSK/Interventional Physiatrists either call themselves Spine Doctors or Orthopedic Specialists.

It's effective, patients "get it", and so do referring physicians.

Your practice focuses on inpt and neurorehab? Stick with "Rehabilitation Medicine".

Something like Peds? "Neurological Rehabilitation Specialist w/focus on Pediatrics", or Spinal Cord Inury, or Traumatic Brain Injury, etc.


Simple.

There's no need to try to explain the entire specialty in 20 seconds. You will only confuse people.


Just explain what it is that you do, and hand them your "What is a Physiatrist" brochure on the way out.
 
Disciple said:
Just explain what it is that you do, and hand them your "What is a Physiatrist" brochure on the way out.
Click to expand...

I have them read it while waiting to see me as a new pt.
 
Disciple said:
Just explain what it is that you do, and hand them your "What is a Physiatrist" brochure on the way out.
Click to expand...
That is exactly the problem - you are assuming they are already in the door. This is not a name for referring docs, who already kinda have a sense (although not the specificss) of what we can do.

This is much more, in my mind, for the patient who looks for a doc in the yellow pages - how many of them are looking under the physiatry/PM&R heading?

Sure I want referrals - but I also want walk-ins. People don't seek out docs in specialties they cant grasp the scope of, have never hard of, or cant even pronounce!
 
ampaphb said:
Sure I want referrals - but I also want walk-ins. People don't seek out docs in specialties they cant grasp the scope of, have never hard of, or cant even pronounce!
Click to expand...

I hear those docs in Florida want walk-ins too...! Even have coupons in the newspaper. You might try that.

:D
 
Last edited:
"This is much more, in my mind, for the patient who looks for a doc in the yellow pages - how many of them are looking under the physiatry/PM&R heading?"

Right.. Exactly why with Neuromuscular Orthopedics they would sort of know what you do instantaneously!!! NOM NOM NOM.
Thats why it would be helpful.
 
I vote for NOM. Easy to pronounce acronym, descriptive wording. Yeah, it might not be precise enough to cover everything in PM&R, but neither is "physical medicine and rehabilitation" either. NOM is even easier to type.

Seriously, a title like that is sorely needed for marketing the field better.
 
MSKmonky said:
NOM NOM NOM.
Click to expand...
:ninja::ninja::ninja:

Ninjas of medicine.
Think about it.

If you wanted to keep the rehab part of it, you could lengthen the acronym to NORM (neuromuscular orthopedic rehabilitation medicine). It could be like Cheers. The rehab attending would walk into the room…NORM!!!

In all seriousness: PM&R, physiatry - it is what it is. Embrace the terms. I’m not an orthopod, nor do I practice a subspecialty of orthopedics. I’m not a neurologist. I’m not an internist. I’m not a psychiatrist or physical therapist or podiatrist. Yet at times I’m all of those things. I’m what the patient needs me to be in order to improve their function. To paraphrase Dr. Press: take a moment to educate your patients, their family members, and your colleagues about who we are and what we do. One person at a time.
 
Musculoskeletal and NeuroRehabilitation
 
ENT has the right idea. Otolaryngology is unpronounceable, so simplify to a level that everyone can grasp.

Keep physiatry for the old guard so Ernie Johnson's head doesn't explode, but let's try and come up with single syllable alternatives for the third-grade educated patients that fill my waiting room. Joints, Muscles, and Nerves (JMN)- the Jammin' specialty ;)
 
Last edited:
I like it ampa but how about NMJ as the acronym instead, very relevant indeed.
 
I still like "neuromuscular orthopedist" best
 
Like many of you, I initially didn't like the title "Physiatrist." Now that I am one, and that I continually meet more and more really good ones that take what they do seriously, I am starting to really like it and own it This discussion about the name of the field has been going on for a long time and I don't think that it is going anywhere. The name will be more and more respected as we continue to do right by our patients.

Embrace it.
 
Maybe I can work it like this:

"Oh, so you're a doctor? What do you do?"
"I'm a physiatrist...we're neuromuscular orthopedic specialists/experts"
 
I have a good friend named Merideth, which in my opinion is a somewhat unusual name for a guy. When he first introduces himself to the ladies he usually gets a response like "your name is what?" or "did I hear you right?" or "what kind of name is that for a guy?" Not long after though he usually charms them with a funny story or a witty comeback and usually he walks away with a phone number.

Moral of the story: If you got skills, it doesn't matter what your name is.
 
kurt rambis said:
I have a good friend named Merideth, which in my opinion is a somewhat unusual name for a guy. When he first introduces himself to the ladies he usually gets a response like "your name is what?" or "did I hear you right?" or "what kind of name is that for a guy?" Not long after though he usually charms them with a funny story or a witty comeback and usually he walks away with a phone number.

Moral of the story: If you got skills, it doesn't matter what your name is.
Click to expand...

OK, I'm convinced. If I have a son, I'm going to name him Merideth. Wait, what were we talking about...?
 
I had a patient today for an EMG and at the end of the exam, she said to us, "So what are you... a neurologist?"

And I just felt this sense of heaviness, like I didn't want to explain for the millionth time what a physiatrist is. I think if I had said I was a neuromuscular orthopedic specialist, that would have been met with, "You're a whatwhat what specialist?" Needless to say, I did not flirt myself into a date with this patient.

I love what I do, but man, I really wish other people knew what it was sometimes.
 
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