Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Division

The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Division focuses on enhancing the functional abilities of individuals with various injuries or diseases. As a leading clinical division affiliated with a nationally ranked Level I adult trauma center, opportunities abound for clinical care, teaching and research.

Our faculty consists of physicians, allied health professionals and adjunct faculty from the medical center and the region. Our physiatrists work very closely with physical, occupational and speech therapists, psychologists, rehabilitation nurses, prosthetists, and orthotists as well as primary care physicians and subspecialists throughout the greater Cincinnati area.  In partnership with UC Health, UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital at The Drake Center, VA Medical Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, we are focused on providing the highest level of rehabilitation care to those in Cincinnati and the surrounding areas.  

Academic Overview

Education, including the training of medical students, residents, and fellows, is the highest priority of the University of Cincinnati Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Division and opportunities abound for involvement.

The division faculty participate in multiple capacities related to medical student education. University of Cincinnati School of Medicine requires participation in a musculoskeletal block during the first two years. 

Our faculty serve as block directors and residents, fellows, and faculty participate in various clinical teaching sessions throughout the year. The pediatric rehabilitation department also serves as an American Academy of Physiatrists designated site for summer research between years one and two in medical school. In the clinical years, third year medical students are required to complete a month long neuroscience rotation. Students can fulfill this requirement by rotating through the physical medicine and rehabilitation division. The month consists of a combination of inpatient and outpatient PM&R experiences. Four-week electives for fourth year students are also offered in PM&R as well as pediatric PM&R. During the month, the student will rotate through a combination of inpatient and outpatient experiences. They will also be able to attend PM&R residency program didactics, journal clubs, and grand rounds. For more information, or to arrange an elective, please contact Mary Duke.

The division also offers two distinct residency training programs including a categorical physical medicine and rehabilitation training program (with an integrated internship year within the University of Cincinnati Department of Internal Medicine). Included is a dual board eligible pediatrics/physical medicine and rehabilitation training program in close collaboration with the highly renowned Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center pediatric residency training program. We continue to provide a yearly cadaver anatomy curriculum for all residents which reinforces functional anatomy.

Learn more about our Residency Training Programs

The division is also pleased to provide a resident mentoring program for fourth year medical students interested in pursuing a residency position in physical medicine and rehabilitation.  This program is available to all University of Cincinnati medical students as well as rotating medical students who have completed a rotation within the division.  The program is optional, and interested medical students will be paired with a current University of Cincinnati PM&R resident to help provide advice regarding applying to PM&R residency programs from a resident perspective.  Interested students should contact Mary Duke for more information.

Areas of expertise include

Our areas of expertise include:

• Acute and Chronic Brain Injury
• EMG
• Geriatric Rehab
• Musculoskeletal Medicine (including interventional pain procedures)
• Musculoskeletal ultrasound of tendons and joints
• Pediatric Rehabilitation
• Prescription of adaptive equipment (i.e. wheelchairs, braces, etc.)
• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Spasticity Management
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Stroke Rehab

Research & Scholarly Activity

Our faculty are innovators in the field of PM&R and are active in cutting-edge research that improves function and quality of life of people with disabilities. Topics of study include: management of spasticity with intrathecal baclofen and botulinum toxin; neurolytic blocks for dystonia; intradiscal electrotherapy; effectiveness of forced use therapies, such as modified constraint induced therapy; management of attention deficits related to pediatric traumatic brain injury; and family and patient predictors of patient outcomes after brain injury.

Our faculty have published chapters in leading medical and physical medicine and rehabilitation textbooks, serve as editors for leading peer-reviewed journals, and regularly publish in rehabilitation medicine journals. Our division participates in a variety of research throughout the medical center at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital as well as through surrounding hospitals in the region. Our faculty also collaborate with allied health professionals to study cutting edge techniques to improve the function and quality of life of patients with disabilities. Specific areas of research interest in which the department is involved include traumatic and other acquired brain injuries, spinal cord injury, stroke rehab/recovery, neuroplasticity, spasticity management, musculoskeletal medicine, neuromuscular medicine, therapy techniques (physical, occupation, and speech), rehabilitation psychology, and development of functional recovery and quality of life outcome measures.

View a couple segments promoting the new UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute building.