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THE MEDICAL STUDENT'S GUIDE TO PM&R
What is a career in physiatry like?
The physiatrist may choose a solo practice or a group setting-partnership or multispecialty group. He/she may affiliate with an academic institution, a private community hospital or clinic, a VA hospital, a skilled nursing facility, or a freestanding rehabilitation facility. The practice may consist of solely outpatient care (e.g., sports medicine clinic); inpatient care (e.g., stroke unit); or a combination of both. In many cases, the patient population will be referral-based and the physiatrist will act initially in a consulting role. Referrals come typically from neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, neurology, oncology, vascular surgery, cardiology, rheumatology, trauma, transplant surgery, cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, family practice, pediatrics, and internal medicine. If the patient is admitted into an inpatient rehabilitation unit, the physiatrist usually assumes both a primary care and specialist role.
The annual salary for physiatrists ranges for full-time medical school faculty from $142,000 to $258,000.* This range is often greater than many primary care specialties but less than many surgical specialties. A physiatrist may earn more in medical directorships or interventional practices. Private practice settings typically offer more compensation while academic and other institutional positions can offer more stability, opportunities for research/grant funding, and potentially better lifestyles. In most cases, the harder you are willing to work, the more you have the potential to make. There are also significant regional differences, with more saturated markets offering lower pay and under-represented areas offering higher salaries. One must consider further the cost of living in any particular part of the country when comparing salary offers.
*Source: www.aamc.org/students/cim/pub_physmedrehab.htm
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