Career Resources and Tools

As the primary medical society for the specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), AAPM&R is proud to offer a variety of career and patient resources for Academy members, their patients and their families. Explore below to learn more about our latest offerings.

Communication Toolkits

Our editable communication handouts are designed to empower PM&R physicians in enhancing patient outcomes by integrating specialized care across all stages of the healthcare continuum. By utilizing these resources, physicians can collaborate with institutional leadership to demonstrate the value of PM&R services in optimizing patient recovery and reducing costs. These toolkits also serve as valuable leave-behinds for engaging with leadership, offering actionable insights that align with improving both patient care and operational efficiency.

• Optimize Outpatient Handout - editable
• Optimize Throughout Handout – editable

Conditions and Treatments

• Physiatrists evaluate and treat patients with short- or long-term physical and/or cognitive impairments and disabilities that result from musculoskeletal conditions (neck or back pain, or sports or work injuries), neurological conditions (stroke, brain injury or spinal cord injury) or medical other conditions. Our goal is to decrease pain and enhance performance without surgery.
• View a list of the most common PM&R-related conditions treated by physiatrists, including post-stroke pain and traumatic brain injury.
• Cancer Rehabilitation Medicine is an exciting new clinical pathway for physiatry, offering rewarding work for physicians who practice in this area. Learn more in this series of FAQs.
• Educate physicians, administrators, and patients about the different levels of care and the role of a physiatrist at each level, based on current Stroke Patient Care guidelines.

Coding Quick Reference Sheets

• AAPM&R’s Reimbursement and Policy Review Committee has developed a series of downloadable PDF Coding Quick Reference sheets to serve as an easy-to-use coding reference. The resources are organized by clinical area, giving members the ability to download a PDF of office visit codes, codes used for electrodiagnostic testing, codes for pain management procedures and more.

Reimbursement Education Video Series

• The Reimbursement and Policy Review Committee has developed this series of short-form videos to help physiatrists understand the nuances of coding for the range of services they provide. These videos are informative for physiatrists completing their training and entering practice, physiatrists incorporating new services to their practice, and those who are looking to brush up coding for services they’ve historically provided.

PM&R Compensation Survey Report

• This is a 250+ page document, which highlights key learnings and comprehensive, de-identified data collected from physiatrists, including median salaries, salary by practice area, demographic and production statistics, and more. AAPM&R members receive free access. Be on the lookout early next year for details on how to participate in the 2026 Compensation Survey.

Technology Summit Synthesis

• AAPM&R has published a comprehensive Summit Synthesis outlining key recommendations emerging from the inaugural Technology Summit held in 2024. View now to explore how AAPM&R is driving the thoughtful integration of emerging technologies across the field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), empowering physiatrists to enhance patient outcomes and elevate the future of care. Check out the Technology Summit video recap.

Stroke Rehabilitation and Spine Care Toolkits

• Leverage AAPM&R's Stroke Rehabilitation and Spine Care toolkits to guide the development of care structures and alternative payment models within your institution. These resources offer practical tips for implementing PM&R-led payment models and optimizing care pathways for stroke and spine care across your practice or payment system.

Expert Conversations in PM&R Practice: The AI-Powered Physiatrist’s Toolkit for Smarter Documentation, Stronger Appeals, and Enhanced Practice Efficiency

• View this expert panel discussion on how artificial intelligence can reduce denials and support CMS compliance in physiatry practice, strengthen prior authorization requests and appeals, optimize practice workflows and translate medical literature into clinical decision-making.

AAPM&R PhyzFeed

• Our new dynamic microlearning platform created just for physiatrists helps sharpen your skills in PM&R and have fun along the way! Learn more.

Physician Wellness Resources

• Explore all of AAPM&R's resources, tools, and solutions focused on the daily challenges of practicing medicine as well as barriers impacting the specialty as a whole.

Practice Preparedness Resources

• The Academy offers resources for physiatrists to help improve their practice functionality. Learn more.  

Career Development Resources

• The complimentary resources below were developed for residents and physiatrists in the first few years of practice:

• AAPM&R's Virtual Mentoring Program (available for Physiatrists 1-5 years post-residency)
• PM&R Alternative and Supplemental Position List
• Learn about the Academy's Early-Career Membership Plans
• "Ask for a Physician" Patient Card

PM&R Aspire

• Explore our new career-exploration platform purpose-built to help PM&R professionals make better-informed career decisions. Learn more.

What is a Physiatrist?

• Download a helpful patient presentation here.

Foundations, Associations and Societies

• View a list of foundations, associations, and societies that patients of PM&R physicians may find of interest.