Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians

Diagnose and treat disorders requiring physiotherapy to provide physical, mental, and occupational rehabilitation.

Median Annual Wage: $187,200

Education: Doctoral degree (55%); Post-doctoral training (43%); Bachelor's degree (1%)

Projected Growth: Faster than average (15% to 21%)

Related Job Titles: Medical Director; Attending Physician; Medical Director Acute Rehabilitation Unit Physiatrist; Pain Management Physician; Pediatric Physiatrist; Physiatrist; Rehabilitation Physician; Attending Physiatrist, Residency Program Director; Doctor of Medicine/Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation PM&R Specialist; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician, Medical Director

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians.

More Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Careers

  • Examine patients to assess mobility, strength, communication, or cognition.
  • Assess characteristics of patients' pain such as intensity, location, and duration using standardized clinical measures.
  • Provide inpatient or outpatient medical management of neuromuscular disorders, musculoskeletal trauma, acute and chronic pain, deformity or amputation, cardiac or pulmonary disease, or other disabling conditions.
  • Monitor effectiveness of pain management interventions such as medication and spinal injections.
  • Develop comprehensive plans for immediate and long-term rehabilitation including therapeutic exercise; speech and occupational therapy; counseling; cognitive retraining; patient, family or caregiver education; or community reintegration.
  • Coordinate physical medicine and rehabilitation services with other medical activities.
  • Perform electrodiagnosis including electromyography, nerve conduction studies, or somatosensory evoked potentials of neuromuscular disorders or damage.
  • Prescribe physical therapy to relax the muscles and improve strength.
  • Consult or coordinate with other rehabilitative professionals including physical and occupational therapists, rehabilitation nurses, speech pathologists, neuropsychologists, behavioral psychologists, social workers, or medical technicians.
  • Prescribe therapy services, such as electrotherapy, ultrasonography, heat or cold therapy, hydrotherapy, debridement, short-wave or microwave diathermy, and infrared or ultraviolet radiation, to enhance rehabilitation.
  • Instruct interns and residents in the diagnosis and treatment of temporary or permanent physically disabling conditions.
  • Diagnose or treat performance-related conditions such as sports injuries or repetitive motion injuries.
  • Prescribe orthotic and prosthetic applications and adaptive equipment, such as wheelchairs, bracing, and communication devices, to maximize patient function and self-sufficiency.
  • Conduct physical tests such as functional capacity evaluations to determine injured workers' capabilities to perform the physical demands of their jobs.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians.

  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians.

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