American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) is the United States’ national medical group for doctors who specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation. These doctors are called physiatrists, or rehabilitation physicians. The organization started in 1938 and works to educate, advocate for the field, and promote research in PM&R. It has more than 8,000 members in the United States and 37 other countries. Leadership comes from a board of governors, with an executive director as a key liaison.
PM&R began in the 1930s to treat musculoskeletal and nervous system conditions. After World War II, physiatrists played a major role in helping disabled veterans regain function and return to daily life. They also helped people with poliomyelitis in the 1940s and early 1950s. The academy was originally called the American Society of Physical Therapy Physicians, founded in Chicago in 1938. Walter Zeiter, MD, served as executive director for 22 years, and John S. Coulter, MD, was the first president. Over the years, the name changed several times: to the American Society of Physical Medicine in 1944, then to the American Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in 1951, and finally to AAPM&R in 1955.
AAPM&R offers several membership categories. Board-certified PM&R physicians are “Fellow” members. There are also memberships for residents, international physicians, medical students, and researchers. Physiatrists treat a wide range of conditions, including amputations, neck, back, nerve and arthritic pain, brain and spinal cord injuries, sports injuries, and various rehabilitation programs (cardiac, geriatric, pediatric). Some physiatrists cover multiple areas, while others focus on specific interests. They work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, private practice, or with other doctors such as orthopedists or family physicians.
To reflect the field’s diversity, the academy formed member councils in 2009. These councils group members by clinical areas like central nervous system rehabilitation, musculoskeletal medicine, medical rehabilitation, pain and neuromuscular medicine, and pediatric rehabilitation.
Since 1939, the annual Assembly has been held each fall and is the largest gathering of physiatrists in the world, drawing about 2,000 attendees. The meeting offers PM&R-focused workshops for continuing medical education (CME), a job fair, and an exhibit hall. In addition to the Assembly, AAPM&R runs other live courses on topics such as musculoskeletal imaging, spinal procedures, coding and billing, and spasticity treatment. To make CME available online, the academy launched acadeME in 2008, offering courses, case studies, podcasts, and self-study materials.
AAPM&R monitors health policy and market trends, aiming to strengthen rehabilitation care. It advocates for more research relevant to rehabilitation, helps with practice management, and coordinates with other medical specialty groups on issues like administrative simplification. The academy has actively supported wounded service members and disabled veterans, working with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Congress to improve care. It also promotes state-level advocacy to build strong lobbying networks and supports Calls to Action through its Advocacy Action Center.
The academy hands out several awards each year. In 2009, it launched PM&R, a peer-reviewed medical journal. The Physiatrist is the organization’s official print publication, distributed ten times a year and covering legislation, education, jobs, and PM&R programs. The academy also runs an e-newsletter, AAPM&R Connection, launched in 2008.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 19:00 (CET).