Undergraduate Medical Students’ Curriculum of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Abstract

Education in medical specialties is one of the most important ways to expand and grow these fields. Physical medicine and rehabilitation is one of the specialties that is less present in the curriculum of medical students than other specialties. The main focus of physical medicine and rehabilitation training programs is mainly on training assistants and subspecialty residents and fellows. One of the necessities in the medical community is to complete the health chain by strengthening or adding a rehabilitation ring. The main and major factor in the development and recognition of the field of rehabilitation medicine is to acquaint medical students with the concepts and applications of this field. In some countries, rehabilitation rotation is mandatory during hospital training, such as internships, and in some countries, such as Iran, it is optional. But in most countries, there is no physical medicine and rehabilitation course. Due to the increasing population of patients in need of rehabilitation services and the high share of disabilities in the burden of disease and the effective role of rehabilitation in reducing the complications of debilitating diseases, it is necessary to include physical education and rehabilitation training program in general medicine. The International Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ISPRM) is currently completing and modifying this training program. It is hoped that with the publication of this program, we will be able to seriously provide training in the basic concepts of rehabilitation in general medicine.