Physiatrist ( PM & R Physician ) Salaries in USA

Gaining popularity amongst the American Medical Graduates as a cool yet well paid and sophisticated specialty is Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation ( PMR) and docs who complete residencies in PMR are called 'Physiatrists'. According to the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation :

"A physiatrist is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Physiatrists treat a wide range of problems from sore shoulders to spinal cord injuries. They see patients in all age groups and treat problems that touch upon all the major systems in the body. These specialists focus on restoring function to people."

Physicians, Physicists, Psychiatrists, Physiatrists....did I just succeed in jumbling up your mind ;-) yet these are all different entities...

Here are some income snapshots across samples cities

Houston, TX: $202,000/-
Los Angeles, CA: $220,000/-
Miami, FL: $195,000/-
New York, NY: $230,000/-
Seattle, WA: $215,000/-National Average: $192,000/-

According to the AAMC, The annual salary for physiatrists ranges from $173,000 to $312,010.

How to Become a Physiatrist in the USA ?

Takes 4 years after Medical school - needs one year of General clinical residency ( Preliminary / Transitional Intern year) followed by a three year dedicated PM and R Residency. Only some programs will offer the total 4-year integrated program, for example, the PMR program at East Carolina University, which makes such programs more competitive. Others will need candidates to complete a year before entering their program.

What Fellowship options are available after PMR Residency ?

Some examples...

- Pain Medicine

- Spinal Cord Injury Medicine

- Interventional Spine and Musculoskeletal Medicine

- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

etc. etc.

Useful books: