Where does PM&R go from here?

[savealife]

PM&R is a specialty that was instituted in the 1940s by Howard Rusk because of the many war veterans that were returning to our country and were receiving inadequate medical care.

I am an MSIII (almost MSIV) and I will be sending in my applications for a PM&R residency this year. I have already done an elective at a prestigious program in New York City and spoken with many physiatrists regarding the discipline who are excited about the future. I posted a similar topic a few months ago, but I am posing a different question at this point. For the attendings and residents that are in the field of PM&R at this time, what do you honestly think will be the future for PM&R?

A physiatrist I worked with told me that a study was released in the late 1980s that stated that PM&R would be obsolete and an unnecessary specialty by the year 2004 (I'm not exactly sure on the dates of this study, but it was quoted to me by a hospital director of PM&R). Seeing as how this is a field that was originally devoted to war veterans with disabilities, and now has been progressing to include anyone with amputations, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, spinal cord injury, TBI, etc, etc... where will it progress to next?

I would love to hear what some of you have to say... I'm pretty gung-ho about PM&R but I am slightly concerned by entering a field that could, conceivably, be "obsolete" at some time in my lifetime.

Thanks,
savealife

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[Nico47]

A physiatrist I worked with told me that a study was released in the late 1980s that stated that PM&R would be obsolete and an unnecessary specialty by the year 2004 (I'm not exactly sure on the dates of this study, but it was quoted to me by a hospital director of PM&R). Seeing as how this is a field that was originally devoted to war veterans with disabilities, and now has been progressing to include anyone with amputations, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, spinal cord injury, TBI, etc, etc... where will it progress to next?

Oh shoot, it's 2007! We must be on borrowed time!

All kidding aside, so long as there is pain and injury in the world I think PM&R will do just fine.

 

[njdevil]

Never obsolete...on the inpatient side, no matter what the rules will be, no one else can take care of CVA, SCI, TBI, and amputee after the acute period.

On the outpatient side, others certainly try, but the quality of management of Radiculopathy, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, Back Pain, Spasticity or Gait Dysfunction should be left to the beloved Fizeeiatrist!

Every specialty likes to encroach on others...that will never change...then again no one else likes to deal with neurogenic bowel & bladder...

 

[TUCOMSam]

Never obsolete...on the inpatient side, no matter what the rules will be, no one else can take care of CVA, SCI, TBI, and amputee after the acute period.

On the outpatient side, others certainly try, but the quality of management of Radiculopathy, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, Back Pain, Spasticity or Gait Dysfunction should be left to the beloved Fizeeiatrist!

Every specialty likes to encroach on others...that will never change...then again no one else likes to deal with neurogenic bowel & bladder...

Agreed! After all, there are physiatrists practicing now who have had to adapt to the changing scope of the specialty compared to when they started practicing. (ie., spine surgeons consist of both orthopods and NS's... EMG/NCS by neuro and physiatrists... who does it better?) Aspects of medicine/surgery change every day, that's why physicians "practice" their specialty instead of remaining static once they've finish training. I would hope that anyone completing a residency +/- fellowship would not arrest their education upon completion, but develop it further as needed. As long as any physician remains up to date and continues furthuring his/her skills and knowledge, a specialty really cannot become "obsolete."