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Lerric
Student
Haymarket, Virginia
1
Question
Asked
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What are the Best Ways for a Pre-Med Student Interested in PM&R to Gain Meaningful Clinical Experience before Medical School ?
As a current college sophomore transitioning into my junior year, I'm interested in pursuing a career that combines neuroscience, medicine, and social impact because I see healthcare as a bridge between wellness and justice. I have gained experience in lab/research settings, but I'm less familiar with direct patient interaction. For professionals in fields like physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R), what were the most valuable steps you took to gain clinical experience, and what early roles (e.g., clinical research coordinator, medical assistant) helped you prepare for medical school and patient-centered care?
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Susie Donohue
Pediatric physical therapist
34
Answers
Oak Park, Illinois
Updated
Susie’s Answer
I love to hear of your combined interest in neuroscience, medicine and social justice/healthcare inequity, and that you are looking to learn more about the patient-care side of the work. I am a travel PT, not a PM&R doc, but I have work alongside many wonderful PM&R physicians and PM&R PAs and NPs. They, as well as many of us in the rehab field (OT,PT, SLP) strive to be more aware how the social determinants of health (SDOH) impact patient care, patient experience, and health outcomes.
I think you can start learning about that now by reading about SDOH, hearing the stories of those impacted. I just went to a symposium last week where an Occupational Therapist graduate student was talking about the clinical/Capstone research she was doing for at a center in Chicago that worked to minimize the impact of limited healthcare access for unhoused folks and people experiencing intimate partner violence, and that was impactful to hear about. It is helpful for me to hear directly from people about their experiences, and she provided those stories. I also listen to my patients and hear their stories, read about communities where I work and what supports are available in each town, and look for ways I can learn more and help, if possible.
You might also consider working part-time in settings where you will get direct patient care experience, like as a rehab aide in a hospital. You will gain experience and learn valuable skills while you work alongside staff members, plus you may learn about the lives of the people you may be working with in the future. If it is a rehab hospital, you will get to see how a PM&R doc impact patient/families lives in such marvelous ways such as providing tone-management medication, Botox, access to clinical trials, therapies, or adaptive equipment and/or augmentative communication that can be so life-enhancing for someone. The PM&R doc I work with now cares for patients with a wide range of challenges secondary to traumatic brain injuries, strokes, burns, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and following prolonged hospitalizations where they are critically weak and recovering after being on a ventilator. Another PM&R doc I know cares for children in a hospital overseas. She is doing fantastic work and often posts about it.
You could connect/follow come therapists or PM&R physicians on LinkedIn to view their content, research, and see them in action in their hospitals and communities. I am happy to connect and share resources. Wishing you all the best, Susie
I think you can start learning about that now by reading about SDOH, hearing the stories of those impacted. I just went to a symposium last week where an Occupational Therapist graduate student was talking about the clinical/Capstone research she was doing for at a center in Chicago that worked to minimize the impact of limited healthcare access for unhoused folks and people experiencing intimate partner violence, and that was impactful to hear about. It is helpful for me to hear directly from people about their experiences, and she provided those stories. I also listen to my patients and hear their stories, read about communities where I work and what supports are available in each town, and look for ways I can learn more and help, if possible.
You might also consider working part-time in settings where you will get direct patient care experience, like as a rehab aide in a hospital. You will gain experience and learn valuable skills while you work alongside staff members, plus you may learn about the lives of the people you may be working with in the future. If it is a rehab hospital, you will get to see how a PM&R doc impact patient/families lives in such marvelous ways such as providing tone-management medication, Botox, access to clinical trials, therapies, or adaptive equipment and/or augmentative communication that can be so life-enhancing for someone. The PM&R doc I work with now cares for patients with a wide range of challenges secondary to traumatic brain injuries, strokes, burns, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and following prolonged hospitalizations where they are critically weak and recovering after being on a ventilator. Another PM&R doc I know cares for children in a hospital overseas. She is doing fantastic work and often posts about it.
You could connect/follow come therapists or PM&R physicians on LinkedIn to view their content, research, and see them in action in their hospitals and communities. I am happy to connect and share resources. Wishing you all the best, Susie
Thank you so much for the information! I would appreciate any resources you can share. The work you do is very inspiring and I can't wait to be apart of your community!
Lerric