Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician

U.S. Army Physiatrist promote the physical well-being and improve quality of life for Soldiers and their families

If you are a professional in the physiatry field and want to combine your passion for patient care with a desire to serve your nation, a career as an Army Physiatrist might be one for you.

As a Physiatrist for the U.S. Army, you will help improve and restore functional ability for patients with physical disabilities or impairments. You may recommend physical therapy, medicine, or a combination of both to reduce pain and improve quality of life. Additionally, as an officer on the Army health care team, you may have the opportunity to establish and direct physical medicine and rehabilitation programs at medical installations, while also training and mentoring other medical personnel. To ensure success in your field, the U.S. Army provides additional trainings, continued education programs, seminars and conferences that allow you to grow as a physiatrist and an Army officer and provide the best possible care to your patients.

If you choose the Army Reserve, you can continue to work in your community and serve when called upon. Regardless of how you serve, a career as an Army Physiatrist allows you to serve the Army in a most critical way.

When you join the Army Medical Corps, you’ll be making a difference in the lives of our Soldiers and the country at large while gaining access to invaluable opportunities, like supporting humanitarian missions, leadership training and a competitive benefits package.

Benefits may include:

• Repayment of qualified education loans to lending institution, paid annually over a maximum of three years while serving
• Based on your field of concentration, you may be eligible for an accession bonus, paid over a four-year period while serving
• Travel opportunities, to include humanitarian missions
• Up to 30 days of paid vacation earned annually
• Enrollment in a military retirement system that blends the traditional legacy retirement pension with a defined contribution to service members’ Thrift Savings Plan account
• No- to low-cost medical and dental care for you and your family
• Commissary and post exchange shopping privileges
• Specialized training to become a leader in medicine

Eligibility Requirements

• Must have a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree from an accredited U.S. school of medicine or osteopathy
• Foreign graduates may apply if they have a permanent certificate from the Educational Council of Foreign Medical Graduates
• Must have a current license to practice medicine in the United States, District of Columbia or Puerto Rico
• Must be eligible for board certification
• Must have completed at least one year of an approved Graduate Medical Education (GME) internship
• Must have completed a training program in Physiatry
• Must be a U.S. citizen for Active Duty
• Must have a permanent U.S. residency for Army Reserve

Have questions or want more information?

To find out more information about becoming a Physiatrist in the U.S. Army, visit You may also reach out to your local Army Healthcare Recruiter to learn how you can get started on your journey as an Army Physiatrist.