Medical student conversing with a doctor

Medical Students

Medical Students

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (more generally known as Physiatry) is concerned with the care of adults and children disabled by illness or injury. The primary focus of PM&R is on disabling neurologic and musculoskeletal diseases such as stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and muscular dystrophy. Other broad conditions, including amputation, arthritis, back pain, disability evaluation, medico-legal review, sports injuries, and chronic pain also are addressed. The close integration of concepts of rehabilitation with the principles and practices of other clinical disciplines is central to the department's educational philosophy. 

The UK College of Medicine Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is unique in its access to patients from a variety of backgrounds, and strives to not only provide exceptional care to the Bluegrass but also works to integrate research initiatives to consistently progress the field of physiatry. 

Overall Goals of Undergraduate Medical Education Program

  1. To provide medical students with a broad introduction to the discipline of physical medicine and rehabilitation.
  2. To provide acting interns in the fourth year the opportunity to assume supervised clinical responsibilities for inpatients and outpatients at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital and UK Good Samaritan Hospital.
  3. To expose students to outpatient management of a variety of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders seen by physiatrists in the department's clinic, including exposure to electrodiagnosis and chronic pain management.
  4. To give interested students the opportunity to gain first hand experience with the department’s residency training program.
  5. To increase medical students’ knowledge of and exposure to the care of disabled patients through faculty participation in other interdisciplinary courses in the medical curriculum.

Contact

For more information about the medical student curriculum and how to schedule a clinical elective, please contact the UK Office of Medical Education or call (859) 323-5261. 

Clerkship Coordinator: Danielle Crail
For specific department questions, please email: danielle.crail@uky.edu