Physiatrist Education and Training

The specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation began in the 1930s and was recognized as a medical specialty in 1947. Physiatrists are medical doctors who, in addition to medical school, also complete four additional years of postdoctoral residency training. During this residency training, they spend one year studying fundamental clinical skills and three years specifically on physical medicine and rehabilitation. They also receive a great deal of training in diagnosing and treating pain problems. After residency, the physician must pass a written and oral exam in order to be a board certified physiatrist. Some physiatrists continue their medical education even further by doing an internship in a subspecialty of physiatry. Subspecialties in this field include:

• Musculoskeletal rehabilitation
• Pediatrics
• Spinal cord injury
• Sports medicine
• Traumatic brain injury
• Pain Medicine