When did you decide?

[Bounty]

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Hi everyone
From what I have read, Pm&R seems like a really interesting and multi-faceted field.
I was just curious, when did you guys decide you wanted to do it? How did you prepare for it in med school? From what I understand, the field is competitive and I was wondering if you are at a disadvantage if you don't know early?

 

[drusso]

I decided before I started medical school. I was working in a MS Center with neurologists and was really gung-ho on doing neurology. Two days per week a physiatrist would come in and see patients and he was really a cool guy. He did botox injections for spasticity, EMGs, and manual medicine and was just generally cool to hang out with and learn about patients. I started investigating the field and discovered that it can be route to pain management, brain rehabilitation, sports medicine, occupational medicine, and other areas. I also considered anesthesia as a possible residency choice.

For med students, I'd concentrate on establishing some depth to your clinical rotations: Neurology, orthopedics, neurosurgery, sports medicine, pain medicine, urology, burn medicine, and rheumatology will all be very helpful electives. Also try to do a couple PM&R rotations at different kinds of programs (small vs large), (musculoskeletally oriented versus more inpatient oriented), etc. Talk to alumni from your medical school who matched at different programs and ask them how they like what they're doing.

 

[theD.O.C.]

From what I have read, Pm&R seems like a really interesting and multi-faceted field.

>>Yes it is, and growing field too. I was impressed not only by the amount of things Physiatrists do but their enthusiasm in embracing new ideas. I really feel like we're all getting in on the ground floor of something that could really help a bunch of people.

I was just curious, when did you guys decide you wanted to do it?

>> I decided fairly late in the game (during IM residency). To make a long story short, I got interested by the scope of PM&R, the openess of the practicioners, and biomechanical/kinetic focus of the field ("musculoskeltal medicine" )

From what I understand, the field is competitive and I was wondering if you are at a disadvantage if you don't know early?

>> I know it's getting more popular, but like anything if you truly want to do it no matter how late you figure it out you can do it, really.