Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

1 credits · School of Medicine

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation is the medical specialty that focuses on improving the function and quality of life of patients of all ages and etiologies, specializing in stroke, sports injury, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, limb loss, pain management, and/or congenital or acquired musculoskeletal conditions. PM&R physicians are known as physiatrists. Physiatrists focus on a holistic, patient-centered approach to care, focusing on how to improve a patient's function utilizing therapies, pharmacology equipment, etc. Physiatrists often lead interdisciplinary rehabilitation teams and work closely with neurologists, psychiatrists, orthopedic/neurological surgeons, either in close coordination or as members of multi-disciplinary clinics. Thus, students who participate in this selective will take part in a collaborative practice, build on their medical knowledge, and develop basic understanding of the nuances of these conditions from the perspective of the recovery and rehabilitation process. The students will also gain insights about the specialty of PM&R for the consideration of this specialty for their career. The time and location of the first day of the selective will be decided through the communication with the course director, Dr. Ankit Patel (ankit.patel@duke.edu). The class meets M-F, 8am - 5pm. Students attend Grand Rounds on Wednesday from 6:30am - 7:30am (in person or virtually). Permission is required. Students must contact Dr. Patel prior to registering and/or course information. The secondary contact is Lucie Sowell (lucie.sowell@duke.edu). Enrollment Max. 2; Credit: 1. Course Director: Ankit Patel, H. Michael Guo, MD; Mike O. Boyd, DO; and Gloria Liu, MD