The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation hosted a regional conference aimed at introducing medical students to the specialty of PM&R.
The Alabama/Mississippi PM&R Medical Student Association Conference, held at the new UAB Rehabilitation Pavilion, brought together medical students from five medical schools for a full day of education, mentorship, and networking.
The event highlighted the breadth of physiatry through subspecialty presentations by UAB PM&R faculty on spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, stroke, sports medicine, pain medicine, pediatric rehabilitation, and other career paths within the field. Students also participated in clinical case presentations, a facility tour, and a resident-led panel discussion. In addition, a Lunch and Learn event by Merz Therapeutics introduced students to LIAM, a limb injection anatomy model.
The centerpiece of the conference was a procedure workshop, where attendees rotated through hands-on training stations that covered a range of diagnostic and interventional skills commonly used in PM&R:
• Spasticity / Intrathecal Baclofen (ITB) Pumps
• Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P)
• Electrodiagnostic Testing
• Diagnostic Musculoskeletal and Neuromuscular Ultrasound
• Interventional Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
• Tracheostomy Station
• ASIA Physical Exam
UAB PM&R faculty and residents led each station, providing individualized instruction and real-time feedback while also offering insight into training pathways and clinical practice.
“Man
y medical students do not get exposure to the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation at their schools,” said Dale Colorado, D.O., vice chair of education and PM&R residency program director. “We hope that this conference and this medical student association can not only educate students exploring this specialty but also provide guidance and advice for those committed to pursuing the field.”
Dr. Colorado founded the Alabama/Mississippi PM&R Medical Student Association in 2025 in order to address the lack of PM&R experiences and exposure cited by medical students in these states. Alabama and Mississippi have long been identified as two states that are underserved in terms of access to physiatrists and rehabilitation services and warrant significant physiatric growth.
In addition to this conference, the student association has organized virtual events for medical students on a variety of PM&R related topics over the past year. The group is excited to further expand their projects and programming in the future.