38th Annual Comprehensive Review Of Physical Medicine And

38th AnnuAl CoMPRehenSive Review of
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
CouRSe DeSCRiPtion
This intensive six-day and threeevening
review course is designed
to examine current practices with
emphasis on recent advances
in the field of Physical Medicine
and Rehabilitation. Ample time is
provided for questions throughout
the course. One-on-one registrant
faculty practice oral examination
workshops will be available for
registrants on Tuesday or Thursday
evening as well as a written questions
workshop on Wednesday evening.
There will be a hands-on workshop
on Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and
Management of Spasticity, talks on
the Maintenance of Certification
Process and Disability Ratings, and
a Special One-day Electrodiagnosis
Program on Saturday.
tARget AuDienCe
1) Senior Physical Medicine &
Rehabilitation (PM&R) Resident
physicians preparing for Part I
(Written) of the Board Certification
Examination
2) PM&R physicians in their first year
of practice preparing for Part II
(Oral) of the Board Certificate
Examination
3) Practicing PM&R physicians seeking
continuing medical education
and a knowledge update
4) Practicing PM&R physicians preparing
for their ABPM&R Maintenance
of Certification Examination
StAteMent of neeD
An extensive needs assessment to
identify professional practice gaps
and educational needs of the learners
was conducted by a comprehensive
search of previous evaluations
and outcomes measurement summaries,
and AMA guidelines. It was
determined that:
• Electrodiagnosis is a highly
technical skill and there is a lack
of uniformity in how different
practitioners execute it. Based on
previous evaluations, there is still
a need for more hands-on training
with EMG, including examinations
on Myopathies, Motor Neuron
Disease and Radiculopathies.
• Traumatic brain injury is still under
recognized, and due to the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan, the incidence
has increased because of better
technology and equipment used
by our armed forces. Separately,
physiatry has expanded over the
past decades to include an interest
in musculoskeletal and sports
medicine, including the sports
related concussion. Clinicians
need to be aware of diagnosis
and management of cognitive,
somatic, and emotional sequelae in
concussed athletes.
• It is now more common for
physiatrists to handle spasticity
management using either
botulinum toxin injections or
ITB pump refilling, as new data
is published regarding the
effectiveness of these treatments.
Younger physiatrists were exposed
to hands-on training with these
treatment options during residency,
but older clinicians were not, and
need adequate hands-on training
in order to properly and effectively
manage their patients’ spasticity.
• Physiatrists are becoming more
established as the expert in the
area of musculoskeletal disorders
and are seeing more patients
in need of treatment. There is a
need for practicing physiatrists
to focus on their diagnostic and
treatment skills for this disorder,
including understanding the
importance of musculoskeletal
ultrasound, including limitations
and capabilities of using highresolution,
real-time imaging
of musculoskeletal features, for
diagnostic and interventional
procedures.
• The AMA’s Guide to the Evaluation
of Permanent Impairment Sixth
Edition uses a new methodology to
assess impairment and addresses
past criticisms of the Guides
including physician interrater and
intrarater reliability, consistency
between chapters, and an
antiquated model of disablement.
Additionally, evaluations from
the last year’s program included
requests on more information on
impairment and disability rating
scales and related management
as this is an area in which some
physiatrists are struggling.