PHMD 8000 Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
This elective is offered for students who would like to explore the diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute or chronic pathology of the neuromusculoskeletal systems.
The student at the completion of this educational experience should be able to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive physical examination of the spine and extremities;
- Evaluate the changes in function imposed by pathology of nerves, muscles, joints, bones, brain, or spinal cord;
- Discuss rehabilitation medicine intervention in preventing the complications of disabling illness;
- Formulate a Rehabilitation program for the most common disabling conditions in the United States;
- Outline the common psychosocial issues which occur following the onset of disabling illness.
These goals will be accomplished by involving the student in the evaluation, therapeutic goal setting, team discussion and the integrated treatment process, which is provided for inpatients and outpatients. This experience will allow the student to be thoroughly involved in the medical science and art of rehabilitation medicine.
Students will be assigned to one of the following:
- DHMC: Denver Health Medical Center, the Denver County hospital with inpatient experience including TBI, multiple trauma, SCI, and CVA. Outpatient experience with monthly clinics in amputee, seating and positioning (2 x month), and SCI (student should get 2/3), and Electrodiagnostics. (Blei and Jha)
- CHC: The Children's Hospital Colorado with primary outpatient exposure in a variety of pediatric rehabilitation clinics including spasticity (botox) clinic, seating and positioning, cerebral palsy clinic, and other congenital and acquired conditions. (Wilson et al)
- UCH: University of Colorado Hospital with inpatient unit with variety of conditions including CVA, transplant, joint replacement as well as outpatient exposure to general rehabilitation clinic, spine center, and spinal injection clinic. (Sullivan et al)
- VAMC: Denver VA Medical Center with inpatient and outpatient experience in arthritis, stroke, amputation, SCI, TBI, MS and other musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders. (Blake et al).
For external students, please visit the Office of Student Affairs for information on applying for externships.
For internal students, please see the Office of Admissions for enrollment information.