Physiatry Course

Lesson 1 • Rehabilitation Settings and Care Continuum

Describes acute inpatient, subacute, outpatient, and community rehabilitation settings. Guides appropriate patient placement decisions across the care continuum.

Lesson 2 • The Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Team

Identifies roles of physicians, therapists, nurses, and social workers in coordinated care. Establishes team communication as a foundational clinical competency.

Lesson 3 • Classification of Disability and Function

Introduces the International Classification of Functioning framework for documenting impairment and participation. Applies classification to clinical documentation and outcome tracking.

Lesson 4 • Core Philosophy of Rehabilitation Medicine

Defines function-centered care, patient autonomy, and quality-of-life goals. Links philosophy to clinical decision-making throughout the rehabilitation process.

Lesson 1 • Neuromuscular Junction and Muscle Physiology

Explains neuromuscular transmission, muscle fiber types, and motor unit recruitment. Supports understanding of weakness, fatigue, and exercise-based interventions.

Lesson 2 • Peripheral Nervous System Anatomy

Maps nerve roots, plexuses, and peripheral nerves to motor and sensory distributions. Enables accurate localization of peripheral neurological lesions.

Lesson 3 • Biomechanics of Human Movement

Applies force, torque, and lever principles to gait, posture, and joint loading. Provides the mechanical basis for therapeutic exercise prescription.

Lesson 4 • Musculoskeletal Anatomy Review

Reviews bones, joints, muscles, and connective tissues relevant to rehabilitation diagnoses. Anchors physical examination and imaging interpretation skills.

Lesson 1 • Musculoskeletal Physical Examination

Teaches inspection, palpation, range-of-motion testing, and special orthopedic tests. Builds systematic examination skills for spine, upper, and lower extremities.

Lesson 2 • Functional Assessment Tools and Scales

Introduces validated instruments for measuring independence, mobility, and quality of life. Guides selection of appropriate outcome measures for different patient populations.

Lesson 3 • Diagnostic Imaging in Physiatry

Interprets plain radiographs, MRI, CT, and ultrasound findings relevant to rehabilitation diagnoses. Integrates imaging with clinical findings to guide treatment planning.

Lesson 4 • Physiatric History Taking

Structures a rehabilitation-focused history emphasizing functional loss, prior level of function, and goals. Differentiates physiatric history from standard medical history.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Nerve Conduction Studies

Explains electrical principles, waveform parameters, and normal reference values for motor and sensory studies. Establishes technical foundations for accurate data acquisition.

Lesson 2 • Peripheral Neuropathy Electrodiagnosis

Distinguishes axonal from demyelinating neuropathies and focal from diffuse patterns. Guides etiologic workup and rehabilitation planning based on electrodiagnostic classification.

Lesson 3 • Radiculopathy and Plexopathy Diagnosis

Applies electrodiagnostic patterns to localize cervical and lumbar radiculopathies and plexopathies. Differentiates root-level from plexus-level lesions using combined NCS and EMG data.

Lesson 4 • Electromyography Technique and Interpretation

Covers needle insertion, spontaneous activity, and motor unit action potential analysis. Connects EMG findings to specific neuromuscular pathologies.

Lesson 1 • Multiple Sclerosis and Neurodegenerative Rehabilitation

Addresses fatigue, spasticity, balance, and mobility challenges in MS and neurodegenerative diseases. Emphasizes energy conservation, adaptive strategies, and disease-stage-specific goals.

Lesson 2 • Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation

Addresses cognitive, behavioral, and physical sequelae of TBI across severity levels. Guides rehabilitation programming from acute to community reintegration phases.

Lesson 3 • Stroke Rehabilitation

Covers post-stroke impairments, recovery mechanisms, and evidence-based therapy approaches. Addresses spasticity, dysphagia, aphasia, and functional mobility restoration.

Lesson 4 • Pediatric Neurological Rehabilitation

Covers cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and acquired pediatric neurological conditions in a developmental context. Integrates family-centered care and school reintegration into rehabilitation planning.

Lesson 1 • Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Conditions

Addresses rotator cuff pathology, lateral epicondylitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and shoulder instability. Guides conservative management and return-to-activity planning.

Lesson 2 • Interventional Pain Procedures

Introduces image-guided injections, nerve blocks, and trigger point procedures used in physiatric practice. Covers indications, contraindications, technique, and complication management.

Lesson 3 • Lower Extremity Musculoskeletal Conditions

Covers hip, knee, and ankle pathologies including osteoarthritis, patellofemoral syndrome, and Achilles tendinopathy. Applies load management and therapeutic exercise principles.

Lesson 4 • Spine Disorders and Rehabilitation

Covers cervical and lumbar pain syndromes, disc pathology, and spinal stenosis management. Links diagnosis to conservative, interventional, and surgical referral decision-making.

Lesson 1 • Assistive Technology for Daily Living

Introduces adaptive equipment, environmental modifications, and communication devices that enhance independence. Connects technology selection to occupational therapy assessment findings.

Lesson 2 • Wheelchair and Seating Systems

Guides manual and power wheelchair prescription based on mobility needs, posture, and environment. Covers seating assessment, pressure relief, and equipment maintenance.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Orthotic Prescription

Covers biomechanical rationale, material properties, and clinical indications for upper and lower extremity orthoses. Links orthotic design to specific functional goals.

Lesson 4 • Lower Extremity Prosthetics

Addresses transtibial and transfemoral amputation levels, socket design, and component selection. Guides rehabilitation from post-operative care through functional ambulation.

Lesson 1 • Rehabilitation Program Development

Covers needs assessment, staffing models, workflow design, and accreditation requirements for rehabilitation programs. Builds administrative competency alongside clinical leadership.

Lesson 2 • Physiatric Leadership and Advocacy

Develops skills in team leadership, health policy advocacy, and professional development within physiatry. Prepares graduates to advance the specialty and improve patient access to rehabilitation.

Lesson 3 • Quality Improvement in Rehabilitation

Introduces QI methodologies including Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles and outcome benchmarking. Applies QI tools to reduce complications, improve efficiency, and enhance patient outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Ethical and Legal Dimensions of Physiatry

Addresses informed consent, capacity assessment, resource allocation, and end-of-life decisions in rehabilitation. Applies ethical frameworks to complex clinical scenarios.