As a medical student, do you ever wonder what it’s like to specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation? Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R)—also called physiatry—is where medicine meets momentum, helping people regain function after injury or illness, manage pain and rebuild daily life with a plan that fits their goals. For medical students weighing different physician specialties, PM&R can feel hard to picture until you hear what the work looks like on the ground.
Meet eight physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians from Medrina who have been featured in the AMA’s “Shadow Me” Specialty Series, which offers advice directly from physicians about life in their specialties. Check out their insights to help determine whether a career in physical medicine and rehabilitation or physiatry might be a good fit for you.
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.
The AMA’s Specialty Guide simplifies medical students’ specialty selection process, highlight major specialties, detail training information, and provide 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.
Explore insights from the “Shadow Me” Specialty Series profiles of eight physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians at Medrina.
“Shadowing” Medrina physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians
Specialty: Physical medicine and rehabilitation.
What the specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation is: “PM&R is a medical specialty focused on optimizing function, preventing disability and improving quality of life for individuals with illness, injury or chronic conditions,” said Juewon Khwarg, MD. “The physiatrist takes a holistic biopsychosocial approach to the patient, forming team-based treatment plans for each step of the rehabilitation journey.
“Given the broad and somewhat nebulous nature of what affects a person’s function, PM&R requires creative problem solving and a strong knowledge of neuromusculoskeletal medicine,” Dr. Khwarg added.
Practice setting: A private, physician-led group practice.
Employment type: Employed physicians at Medrina.
Years in practice: Medrina traces its roots back more than a decade and includes physiatrists with a wide range of clinical experience from newer graduates to seasoned physiatrists.
A typical day and week in my practice: For Matthew Cowling, DO, “a typical day starts early with inpatient rounds in acute rehab or skilled nursing facilities. I evaluate new admissions, follow up on ongoing rehab plans and coordinate care with therapy, nursing and case management teams.”
“Mornings are highly clinical and fast-paced, focusing on optimizing function, pain management and discharge readiness. In the afternoons, I transition to administrative work, program development, nonphysician provider supervision and clinical education,” said Dr. Cowling. “This balance allows me to stay connected to patient care while shaping larger systems of care delivery.”
“My week follows a structured rhythm. I spend mornings in direct patient care and afternoons on leadership duties, documentation and strategic projects. Depending on the week, I may also dedicate time to interdisciplinary meetings, mentorship or site visits,” he explained. “The schedule is steady but flexible, allowing for strong continuity with patients and meaningful time for professional development.”
The most challenging and rewarding aspects of physical medicine and rehabilitation: Travis Quinn, MD, thinks that the most challenging aspects “are dealing with the limited resources available in the skilled nursing facility setting and managing chronic pain. The most rewarding is improving quality of care.”
The impact burnout has on physical medicine and rehabilitation: “It can be significant for many physicians, as the subacute rehab facilities often times have limited resources and their staff are stretched too thin,” said Kunwarjit Duggal, MD.
How Medrina is reducing physician burnout: “Medrina connects physicians through a physician leadership team which allows for a direct point of contact with other practicing physicians within your area,” said Marla Petriello, DO. “Additionally, regular educational sessions are offered including grand rounds and online educational resources.
“These opportunities allow for improved collaboration and ongoing open communication between physicians practicing with Medrina,” Dr. Petriello added.
How my lifestyle matches, or differs from, what I had envisioned: To Kunal Kamboj, DO, the lifestyle “is much better than I thought it would be, mostly because I have control of what my day-to-day life is like and how much I want to work.”
“As I have a growing family, I have started saying ‘No, thank you,’ to opportunities that in the past I would have said ‘yes’ to,” Dr. Kamboj said, noting “it’s important to have frequent self-reflection and find out what really matters to you and your family.”
Skills every physician in training should have for physical medicine and rehabilitation but won’t be tested for on the board exam: “It is essential to build rapport with patients undergoing rehabilitation and to support and encourage them throughout the process,” said Kyle Jisa, MD. “Patients frequently do not want to be in a rehabilitation facility and often prefer to be at home.”
“One of the most common questions a PM&R physician will hear during rounds is, ‘When can I go home?’” said Dr. Jisa. “Being able to keep patients focused on achieving and reaching maximum functional ability is critical to ensuring they can return to their desired place of living as soon as possible—and remain there long term.”
One question physicians in training should ask themselves before pursuing physiatry: “What kind of patient population do you wish to treat, and what kind of lifestyle do you envision having?” said Arpit Kaul, DO.
Books, podcasts or other resources every medical student interested in physiatry should be reading: Each Medrina physician shared recommendations for books, podcasts and other resources for medical students interested in physical medicine and rehabilitation or physiatry. They include:
- American Spinal Injury Association’s “The SCI Science Perspectives” podcast.
- Braddom’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation by David Xavier Cifu, MD.
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Board Review, by Sara J. Cuccurullo, MD.
- The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph, by Ryan Holiday.
- Detox the Mind and Meditation as Medication for the Soul, both by Rajinder Singh.
- KFF HealthNews.
- The PM&R Knowledge NOW website.
- The PM&R Recap website.
Dr. Cowling also recommends “exploring resources from the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, particularly PM&R Knowledge NOW®, as well as FREIDA™—the AMA Residency & Fellowship Database®—to better understand training pathways and practice settings.”
Dr. Kamboj thinks “the most important thing would be to read in general—fiction and nonfiction—and attempt to maintain focus and concentration for long periods of time. My favorite books are Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville, Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse, and Paradise Lost, by John Milton.”
Additional advice I would give to students who are considering physical medicine and rehabilitation: “Rotate in your area of interest and do multiple rotations at different institutions if you have the ability to do so,” said Dr. Kaul.
