The intent of the certification process as defined by member boards of the
ABMS is to provide assurance to the public that a certified medical specialist
has successfully completed an accredited residency training program and
an evaluation, including an examination, designed to assess the knowledge,
experience, and skills requisite to the provision of high-quality patient care
in that specialty. Diplomates of the ABPMR possess particular qualifications
in this specialty.
Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), also referred to as physiatry, is
a medical specialty concerned with diagnosis, evaluation, and management
of persons of all ages with physical and/or cognitive impairment and disability. This specialty involves the diagnosis and treatment of patients with painful or functionally limiting conditions, the management of comorbidities and coimpairments, diagnostic and therapeutic injection procedures, electrodiagnostic medicine, and an emphasis on prevention of complications of disability from secondary conditions.
