Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician - Iowa

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) Physician

The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician provides comprehensive, non-surgical care to patients with physical impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities resulting from injury, illness, or chronic conditions. This role focuses on restoring function, improving mobility, reducing pain, and enhancing quality of life through interdisciplinary, patient-centered care.

Key responsibilities include evaluating, diagnosing, and managing patients with neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, and functional impairments; developing and implementing individualized rehabilitation treatment plans; providing inpatient rehabilitation care, including medical management and functional oversight; providing outpatient evaluations and longitudinal follow-up as applicable; coordinating care with physical, occupational, and speech therapists; managing spasticity, pain, and mobility limitations using non-operative approaches; performing procedures within scope of practice, such as joint injections or electrodiagnostic studies, if applicable; collaborating with multidisciplinary teams including nursing, case management, and consulting physicians; participating in interdisciplinary team conferences and care planning meetings; educating patients and families on rehabilitation goals, prognosis, and recovery plans; ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant medical documentation; and supporting quality improvement initiatives and patient safety standards.

Practice settings include inpatient rehabilitation units and/or outpatient rehabilitation clinics, with potential consultative services within acute care hospitals. The schedule and coverage are based on the practice model.

The patient population includes adult and/or pediatric patients with rehabilitation needs, with conditions such as stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, musculoskeletal disorders, amputations, and chronic pain.

Qualifications include an MD or DO from an accredited medical school, completion of an accredited Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency program, board certification or eligibility in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, eligibility for unrestricted medical licensure in the practicing state, and DEA registration or eligibility.

Skills and competencies include broad clinical expertise in rehabilitation medicine, strong functional assessment and care coordination skills, excellent communication and interdisciplinary collaboration abilities, commitment to patient-centered, evidence-based care, and the ability to manage complex rehabilitation cases.

The work environment emphasizes a rehabilitation-focused clinical setting, a multidisciplinary, team-based care model, and an emphasis on functional outcomes and patient independence.