http://www.med.umich.edu/pmr/ (PC Press Internet CD, 03/1996)
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
The faculty and staff of the Department of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation invite you to explore with us the frontiers of rehabilitation
- research, education and patient care - at the University of Michigan Medical Center.
Table of Contents
WHAT IS PM&R?
The University of Michigan Medical Center was among the first
major institutions in the nation to organize and develop an
independent Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The
Department was established by its first chairman, James W. Rae,
M.D., in 1950. He recognized the need to provide more research-
based programs, in a University setting, for people with disabilities.
Since then, the Department has experienced a steady growth and
development of its patient care, research and education programs.
The Department's staff provides complete physical medicine
and rehabilitation services at the Medical Center and Ann Arbor
Veteran's Administration Hospital. Resources at the University
Hospitals include adult and pediatric rehabilitation beds and numerous
general and specialized rehabilitation clinics. There also are
rehabilitation beds available at a nearby community hospital. A wide
spectrum of physiatric services and research activities is conducted by
the Department at the Veteran's hospital, located less than one mile
from the U-M Medical Center.
The Department offers programs at
several off-site facilities. These include MedRehab, a
comprehensive outpatient facility; the Center for Occupational
Rehabilitation and Health, a return-to work center; Orthotics and
Prosthetics, a fabrication laboratory and outpatient prosthetic facility;
and the Wheelchair Seating Service which specializes in the
customization of seating and wheelchairs. The Department also has established
collaborative teaching and service sites with private rehabilitation
corporations in nursing homes and transitional facilities. These serve
the special needs of the geriatric population and adults with head
injuries.
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CLINICAL PROGRAMS IN PM&R
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RESEARCH PROGRAMS IN PM&R
The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is dedicated to the development of
rehabilitation research to meet the growing need in America. It is one of the top five
programs in the country in terms of publications, presentations and extramural support.
A Grants and Contracts Office supports the endeavors of a nationally-recognized
faculty and staff who are facilitating the design of rehabilitation research priorities in
North America. The Department also conducts an annual symposium on Rehabilitation
Research Methods for participants from universities across the United States and
Canada.
Funding from private and public sources supports:
• basic science studies evaluating the fundamental mechanisms of muscle contraction
and fatigue
Behavioral neurology research studies focus on:
• clinical trials of a cognition orthosis (computerized task guidance system) for
cognitively impaired persons
• the prevalence, risk factors and complications of cognitive dysfunction in acute and
chronic spinal cord injury patients
• psychological distress in spinal cord injury patients
• improving independence among spinal cord injury patients
• coping with post-polio syndrome
• psychological assessment and treatment of chronic pain problems
• coping difficulties of chronic pain patients
Studies in Rehabilitation Engineering are centered in the areas of:
• computerized communication systems for people with disabilities
• prevention of pressure sores, using electrical muscle stimulation
• computer-assisted navigation systems for users of powered wheelchairs
• systems and devices for disabled people
The University of Michigan Spinal Cord Injury Care System is one of only a few
federally-funded regional centers. Its primary goal is to improve the outcomes of
medical and rehabilitative care for traumatic spinal cord injury victims and their families
Individual projects include studies of spasticity in spinal cord injured persons
independent living for persons with severe disability and neurogenic bladder
management.
(Please see the faculty listing for individual research interests)
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EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN PM&R
Graduate and post-graduate education include medical student, resident and fellowship
training programs.
Medical Students
All U-M Medical School students rotate through the Department of Physical Medicine
and Rehabilitation. In addition, senior medical students, often from other institutions,
can elect one to two-month rotations with us. Every year, summer fellows—first-year
medical students from U-M—spend the summer in the Department, obtaining valuable
exposure to clinical and research activities.
Residents
Michigan's residency program is widely recognized as a premier training program.
House officers take advantage of the all-encompassing array of patients we see, and
have successfully entered private, institutional and academic practices.
Fellowships
The PM&R Department offers pre-doctoral and post-doctoral clinical and research
training in muscle physiology, epidemiology of chronic disease, neuromuscular
disorders, pediatric rehabilitation, central nervous system trauma, rehabilitation
engineering and rehabilitation psychology.
Allied Health Clinical Education
Several allied health divisions within the Department of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation also offer a variety of educational programs to both undergraduate and
graduate students. Internships, clinical education observational experiences and other
specialized training are offered in the fields of nursing, occupational therapy, physical
therapy, rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation engineering, rehabilitation psychology,
social work and speech-language pathology.
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DIVISIONS IN PM&R
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FACULTY IN PM&R
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OTHER WEB SITES RELATED TO REHABILITATION
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PM&R Home Page mail inquires: [
webmaster@mailgw2.pmr.med.umich.edu]
