Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Medical Students

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (more generally known as Physiatry) is concerned with the care of adults and children disabled by illness or injury. The primary focus of PM&R is on disabling neurologic and musculoskeletal diseases such as stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and muscular dystrophy. Other broad conditions, including amputation, arthritis, back pain, disability evaluation, medico-legal review, sports injuries, and chronic pain also are addressed. The close integration of concepts of rehabilitation with the principles and practices of other clinical disciplines is central to the Department's educational philosophy.

Overall Goals of Undergraduate Medical Education Program:

1. To provide medical students with a broad introduction to the discipline of PM&R.
2. To provide acting interns in the fourth year the opportunity to assume supervised clinical responsibilities for inpatients and outpatients at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital and/or other teaching sites utilized by the Department (e.g., Shriner's Hospital for Children, UK Chandler Medical Center).
3. To expose students to outpatient management of a variety of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders seen by physiatrists in the department's clinic, including exposure to electrodiagnosis and chronic pain management.
4. To give interested students the opportunity to gain knowledge of the department’s residency training program.
5. To increase medical students’ knowledge of and exposure to the care of disabled patients through faculty participation in other interdisciplinary courses in the medical curriculum.

If you are considering PM&R as your specialty choice, or if you  would like more information regarding this field, please consider reading a classic article in this regard: "Common Questions Asked by Medical Students About Physiatry", DeLisa et al, American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, vol. 74 n. 2, March/April 1995, pp. 145-154.

PM&R Course Offerings:

RBM 850 - Acting Internship in Rehabilitation Medicine (Inpatient), year 4 elective or requirement
RBM 851 - Outpatient Rehabilitation Medicine, year 4 elective
RBM 852 - Pediatric Orthopedic Rehabilitation, year 4 elective

For more information about the medical student curriculum and how to schedule a clinical elective, please contact:

Beth Hartmann
University of Kentucky
College of Medicine - Office of  Medical Education
138 Leader Building
Lexington, KY 40506-9983
(859) 323-2456 

PMR Interest Group For Medical Students:

The Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation hosts a routine interest group for medical students.  For more information please contact Dr. Sara Salles, D.O. at ssall0@email.uky.edu or Bobbie Smith her assistant at bobbies@email.uky.edu