What is a Physiatrist
by Jeffrey W. Anderson, D.O.

If you have never heard of a physiatrist, don’t feel bad. Some of my family and friends still think I’m a podiatrist, and I have been quoted in the past in the newspaper as a psychiatrist. But, I am in fact a physiatrist, pronounced “fizz-ee-AT-trist”. A physiatrist is a physician who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Physiatry began in the 1930’s, but it wasn’t until after World War II that the field gained full recognition as a specialty. The use of antibiotics and advances in the treatment of traumatic injuries during this time period resulted in thousands of soldiers returning home with various severe disabilities. Many of these veterans would not have survived their injuries ten or twenty years prior.

continue reading the PDF...