GOALS & EXPECTATION

I as a medical clerk hope to learn how to secure a proper history and physical examination for
rehabilitative medicine and try to understand the true depth of sports and rehabilitative medicine. I
hope to experience and if time permits learn how the department addresses the medical, social,
psychological, spiritual, vocational, and economic needs of patients and their families. I have very
limited knowledge about what rehabilitative medicine is but hope get a deeper insight on its various
branches and the scope of the department. I hope to develop the skill and eye to fully assess a patient’s
presentation and to recognize the functional deficit caused by the illness or injury the patient
encountered. I hope to prefect my skills in performing a complete neurological examination, with all its
parts and to find the deficit only through a complete physical exam.

I also hope to learn the true meaning and depth of sport medicine, which by definition is an area of
medical practice concerned with the treatment of injuries resulting from athletic activities. A physician
practicing sports medicine focuses on sports-related medical services. This branch of medicine has
recently been developed, and has gained much importance is the past few years. I hope to observe and
learn how physicians approach each injury and restore the physical function back to normal so the
patient can go back to his/her activity of choice without any disruption or hindrance. I hope to observe
the basic techniques involved in the diagnosis and treatment of the various cases, since from my
understanding there are no two identical cases, and each case and patient has to be dealt personally
and the treatment technique is hand-made to suite each patient.

What I have known about rehabilitative medicine is that, Physical medicine and rehabilitation, also
referred to as physiatry or rehabilitation medicine, and is a branch of medicine concerned with
evaluation and treatment of, and coordination of care for, persons with musculoskeletal injuries, pain
syndromes, and/or other physical or cognitive impairments or disabilities. The primary focus is on
maximal restoration of physical and psychological function, and on alleviation of pain (adapted from
definitions by the American Board of Medical Specialties and the American Board of Physical Medicine &
Rehabilitation). The physiatric history and physical examination is the data platform from which a
treatment plan is developed.

I hope to learn the various first aid techniques that would help or prevent the patient from severe
irreparable or irreversible damage that can be caused due to the illness, or injury, since we as medical
clerks or future physicians, should not have a moment of regret thinking we did not do the right thing at
the right time since “time and tide waits for none” because when we make a mistake it is not only our
life that we pay with, it is also the life of the patient and the people near and dear to him/her are also
affected. From my superficial understanding of the department, I feel it deals with the patient as a whoe
entity, not only focusing on the muscular and nervous repair, but also on the mental health of the
patient.

In short I hope to capture a fine picture of the depth and scope of the department, and the techniques
that are being devised in treating the patient. I also hope the learn how to connect with the patien and
to learn to take and understand the proper and complete history and physical examination, since those
are the two basic needs in treating the patient. During this very short I hope to maximize to learnings to
the peak so that I as a future medical practitioner will be able to use my knowledge to the good health
and mind of the society. Lastly but most importantly, I hope to experience the miracle of life restored
back to its functional self, which I think is the soul foundation of this department, and it is this
experience that I’m truly hoping to gain through this entire 8 days of my rotation.