As a medical student, do you ever wonder what it's like to specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation? Meet AMA member Benjamin Scott, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician and a featured doctor in the AMA's “Shadow Me” Specialty Series, which offers advice directly from doctors about life in their specialties. Check out his insights to help determine whether a career in physical medicine and rehabilitation might be a good fit for you.
The AMA's Specialty Guide simplifies medical students' specialty selection process by highlighting major specialties, detailing training information and providing access to related association information. It is produced by FREIDA™, the AMA Residency & Fellowship Database®.
Learn more with the AMA about the broader medical specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation.
“Shadowing” Dr. Scott
Specialty: Physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Practice setting: Skilled nursing facility.
Employment type: Independent contractor for an LLC affiliated with Medrina in Washington, DC. Medrina is part of the AMA Health System Member Program, which provides enterprise solutions to equip leadership, physicians and care teams with resources to help drive the future of medicine.
Years in practice: One.
What the specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation is: Also known as physiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation helps to restore function, manage pain and improve quality of life after illness, injury or disability.
A typical day and week in my practice: I round on patients in the morning, then collaborate with nursing and therapy staff, attend any relevant care meetings, complete documentation and also address calls or clinical requests from the facility throughout the day.
In a typical week, I cover several facilities, ensuring continuity of care and adjusting my schedule for facility meetings or new patient consults.
The most challenging and rewarding aspects of physical medicine and rehabilitation: The most challenging aspect is finding the right resources and support systems for patients to help them recover and transition successfully after acute injury or illness.
The most rewarding is watching patients make steady progress. Seeing someone regain mobility or independence is always incredibly fulfilling.
The impact burnout has on physical medicine and rehabilitation: Burnout can occur when the focus shifts away from patient-centered care. It can be seen when providers lose the drive to deliver high-quality, thoughtful care.
How Medrina is reducing physician burnout: As an independent contractor, I manage my schedule and workload directly, which helps maintain autonomy and balance. I focus on positive interactions with patients and team members to stay grounded and engaged.
How my lifestyle matches, or differs from, what I had envisioned: It’s quite close to what I envisioned—rewarding, flexible and deeply patient-centered. The main difference is the sheer administrative load, which wasn’t apparent in training.
Skills every physician in training should have for physical medicine and rehabilitation but won’t be tested for on the board exam: It’s crucial to use active listening and to understand patients’ needs beyond their medical diagnoses. These human skills are crucial for building trust and coordinating holistic care.
One question physicians in training should ask themselves before pursuing physical medicine and rehabilitation: What type of patient interactions bring me the most fulfillment, and am I willing to work closely with long-term rehabilitation and recovery goals?
Books, podcasts or other resources every medical student interested in physical medicine and rehabilitation should be reading or listening to:
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Q&A Review, by Lyn Weiss, for board preparation.
- Braddom’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, edited by David X. Cifu, because it’s the cornerstone reference for the field.
- The House of God, by Samuel Shem, for its humor and insight into the medical world.
Additional advice I would give students who are considering physical medicine and rehabilitation: Understand what motivates you when treating patients and seek opportunities that align with that passion. Physical medicine and rehabilitation is about restoring function and dignity. Finding joy in that process will keep you fulfilled.
