Pm&r vs occ med

[msbbc833]

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does anyone have any thoughts on one residency vs the other? I know pm&r can route into pain to make big bucks. Both have good lifestyles. Pm&r is a longer residency. I'm currently a prelim trying to figure out my future.

 

[lobelsteve]

PMR exists to improve patient’s lives and OccMed exists solely to deny care based on guidelines written by insurancecompanies.

 

[oreosandsake]

hahaha!

 

[jon0013]

PMR exists to improve patient’s lives and OccMed exists solely to deny care based on guidelines written by insurancecompanies.

That's an irresponsible statement buddy... Are you an occ med physician? PM&R is a great specialty...Help people regain functional status. Same with occ med. Regulations have to be put in place to prevent lazy ass patients from abusing the system.

 

[lobelsteve]

That's an irresponsible statement buddy... Are you an occ med physician? PM&R is a great specialty...Help people regain functional status. Same with occ med. Regulations have to be put in place to prevent lazy ass patients from abusing the system.

The regs are there to save money for wc insurance. And the problem is not the patients - it's the ATPs. Unnecessary procedures, meds, surgeries.

 

[RUOkie]

The regs are there to save money for wc insurance. And the problem is not the patients - it's the ATPs. Unnecessary procedures, meds, surgeries.

ATP's?? What do you mean?

OP, Occ med docs deal primarily with initial injuries, triage and most importantly, pre employment and industrial medicine. Lots of info on exposures. MOST (but not all) Occ med docs are already boarded in FM or IM, so the training length is pretty similar.

Many PM&R docs do a lot of Occ Med. Myself included. But I deal mostly with delayed recovery and the MSK injuries. I now see the MSK injuries on day one or two.

And Steve, most Occ Med docs are not just working for the insurance companies. I've worked with a lot of very good docs who know when to refer and try to do right by the patients.

And statistics show that 10 % of the patients contribute to 90% of the costs. Half of those are catastrophic injuries. The other half are symptom magnifiers.

 

[lobelsteve]

ATP is authorized treating physician.

Ive only seen occ med as a barrier to care. Sometimes protecting patients from unnecessary surgery and procedures. But mostly refusing any care except allowed PT via ODG.

 

[Momentum70]

I know thread is a little old but thought I might give you or others thinking about occ med and pmr some insight. If you go the occ med route you can save some time with residency but will be stuck with occ med so you if change ideas or career plans you may be stuck. However I started moonlighting at an occ med clinic 4th year of pmr residency. After graduating I ended up staying there and currently am the medical director of the clinic. Instead of referring many of my patient for simple injections and for further work up of some injuries to physiatry, I just take care of it myself and sometimes the other docs and mid levels here will just have patients follow up with me because its easier then getting the approval from insurance companies some time. I havent made my decision yet, but they regional medical director has offerred to get an EMG machine for clinic so I can stop referring those out. I may also change mind and go back into a PMR position some other time. Occ med hours are pretty good and I can moonlight covering weekend calls and such at inpatient facility to keep those skills up and have done just that.

My suggestion if you are thinking about both things is go PMR as it will open up more things post residency. After residency you may not even want to do occ med, physiatry gives many career paths.