Category: Performing Arts Medicine
Injury prevention and the overall health of performing artists
Sport Athlete or Performing Artist? Shared Issues in Sports and the Arts
I’ve mentioned previously that some of my Rehabilitation Medicine (Physiatry) colleagues have additional training in Sports Medicine. While it is logical that there’s overlap between the two (for example: figure skaters can fall under both fields), there are similarities and differences between the athlete and the artist. The Athletes and the Arts initiative was borne […]
Unique Issues in Performing Artists: Part 1
In a previous blog post, I wrote about the health issues shared by sport athletes and performing artists. Hat tip to the Athletes and the Arts initiative for promoting these health issues. Despite all the similarities, the worlds in which athletes and artists move in are not the same at all. Their mindsets, training and […]
Who Practices Performing Arts Medicine?
Performing Arts Medicine (PAM) was my gateway to Rehabilitation Medicine (Physiatry). I wanted to know how to best address the musculoskeletal issues of performing artists, and found PAM sometime in medical school. Rehabilitation Medicine (Physiatry) does not have a monopoly on PAM, but as a specialty it fits PAM very well. We physiatrists focus on […]
A Deeper Dive into PAM
We’ll start off with what it is not: PAM is not: it is not the use of music/dance/art as a means of doing therapy. Music therapists have their own expertise, as do dance therapists, art therapists and therapeutic recreation (or recreational therapy) specialists. Performing Arts Medicine (PAM) is the branch of medicine addressing the overall […]
How I Got Here: Choosing a Medical Specialty
The Personal Statement is part of the residency application packet for specialty training in the USA. It complements the curriculum vitae detailing the applicant’s education and previous experience, and the recommendation letters from faculty members or other people that have worked with the applicant. My Personal Statement began with “I was the Orthopedic Disaster of […]
How Does a Physician Get Formal Training in Performing Arts Medicine?
When I first discovered Performing Arts Medicine (PAM) during medical school, I had no idea how to train for a career focusing on the health of musicians, dancers and the like. Eventually I discovered specializing in Rehabilitation Medicine was a good fit, but I still didn’t know where to get formal training in PAM. I […]
