PM&R stands for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Another name for it is “physiatry”. PM&R is a medical specialty that emphasizes prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of patients who experience limitations in function resulting from disease process, injury, or symptom. PM&R Physicians also called “Rehab Physicians” utilize medications, physical modalities, exercise, injections (if needed) as well as education individualized to the patient’s needs. PM&R specialists provide care for patients with neuromuscular or musculoskeletal disorders who have acute and/or chronic disabilities requiring rehabilitation services. The goal is to restore optimal patient function in all spheres of life including medical, social, emotional, and vocational dimensions. Physiatry has been aptly branded the “quality of life medical specialty” and has grown in international recognition because of its commitment to meeting the quality-of-life and non-operative neuromuscular and musculoskeletal needs on our aging, active society.
In order to become a PM&R physician doctors at Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Fort Worth (PMRFW) attended 4 years of medical school. After medical school our physicians did their internship which means they trained for one year in general medicine (traditional or transitional internship). Then our doctors spent the next 3 years of their training solely focusing on all aspects of Rehabilitation Medicine which includes:
- Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
- Neuromuscular Medicine
- Spine Care
- Electrodiagnostic Testing (EMG/NCS) aka EMG or Nerve Testing
- Sports Medicine
- Amputee Rehabilitation
- Stroke Rehabilitation
- Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation
- Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation
- Spasticity Management and Injections
- Hospital Rehabilitation
- Occupational Medicine
