Association of Academic Physiatrists

In this episode, medical student Kristen Schill interviews Dr. Vinay Vanodia, an assistant professor at UTHealth Houston and the medical director of the Amputee and Limb Loss Rehabilitation program at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital. Dr. Vanodia took a unique path to physiatry, earning a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering and practicing as a board-certified prosthetist before attending medical school. In this episode, Dr. Vanodia discusses his journey into physical medicine and rehabilitation, the role of the physiatrist in amputee rehabilitation, and the intersection of prosthetics, engineering, and patient-centered care. He also explores the multidisciplinary approach to limb loss rehabilitation and advances in prosthetic technology. AAP Medical Student Resources: https://www.physiatry.org/resources/featured-resources/medical-student-education

In this episode of the Association of Academic Physiatry’s Career Chats, Luay Naji sits down with Dr. Tracy Friedlander. She is the Program Director of the Johns Hopkins PM&R Residency Program and we discuss her career in physiatry, leadership in medical education, and the evolving field of PM&R.

In this episode, we meet our co-hosts for the 2026-2027 year. Returning co-host Shreya Chalapalli, MS3 introduces Mary O'Rourke, MS3 to the pocket mentor podcast. The co-hosts share what interests them in PM&R and topics they plan to explore this year. Links: AAP Medical Student Resources: https://www.physiatry.org/resources/featured-resources/medical-student-education/

In this episode, medical student Kristen Schill interviews Dr. Stephanie Tow, a pediatric rehabilitation and sports medicine physician at the University of Colorado. Dr. Tow serves as the Head Team Physician for Team USA's Paralympic Swimming National Team and as a National Medical Classifier for U.S. Paralympics Swimming. Together, they discuss appropriate terminology surrounding adaptive sports, explain the Paralympic classification system, and explore how medical students can get involved in adaptive sports medicine. Links: Move United: moveunitedsport.org AAP Medical Student Resources: physiatry.org/resources/featured-resources/medical-student-education/

AAP RFC Technology Subcouncil member Sanjana sat down with Laura Malmut to speak about the many hats she wears at MedStar/Georgetown— medically complex rehabilitation, resident and medical student education, and the frontiers of research she is most excited about within PM&R.

On this episode of the ThisIsPhysiatry podcast, medical students Ashley Thornton and Rhoda Hijazi speak with Dr. Miguel Escalón, Dr. Ashley Sanchez, and Dr. Isaac Hernández Jiménez regarding how language access plays a role in rehabilitation outcomes as well as the importance of addressing linguistic diversity in a community/regional context. ThisIsPhysiatry is a podcast series that aims to spread awareness of the wonderful specialty of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

On this episode of the ThisIsPhysiatry podcast, medical students Ashley Thornton and Rhoda Hijazi speak with Dr. Monica Branch regarding the importance of having a diverse workforce in Physiatry and how that can impact patient outcomes. ThisIsPhysiatry is a podcast series that aims to spread awareness of the wonderful specialty of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

This episode is the first in a DEI-focused mini-segment created by the AAP Medical Student Council (MSC)'s DEI team. On this episode of the ThisIsPhysiatry podcast, medical students Ashley Thornton and Rhoda Hijazi speak with Dr. Michelle Stern, Dr. Ruth Alejandro, Dr. Some Onuoha, Dr. Sunitha Polepalle, Dr. Nancy Strauss, and Dr. Naheed Van de Walle regarding the importance of advocacy in Physiatry and addressing health inequities in these patient populations. Learn more: https://www.mssny.org/take-action/physician-advocacy-day/ ThisIsPhysiatry is a podcast series that aims to spread awareness of the wonderful specialty of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

In this episode, medical student Kristen Schill interviews Dr. Subha Hanif and Dr. Obada Obaisi, two physicians specializing in cancer rehabilitation. Dr. Hanif completed her PM&R residency at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital and her cancer rehabilitation fellowship at the University of Michigan, and she currently practices at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Obaisi completed his PM&R residency at Rush University Medical Center, followed by a cancer rehabilitation fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and now practices at Rush University. They discuss the role of cancer rehabilitation within multidisciplinary cancer care, the training pathway into the specialty, and how the field continues to evolve. The conversation also highlights opportunities for medical students to get involved and offers practical advice for those considering cancer rehabilitation as a career.

In this episode of the AAP Physiatry Tech Podcast, we speak with Dr. Krishnan, director of the Neuromuscular and Rehabilitation Robotics Laboratory (NeuRRo Lab), about how low-cost robotics, biomechanics, and neuromuscular science are transforming rehabilitation medicine. Dr. Krishnan shares his journey into rehab research, the mission behind NeuRRo Lab, and how his team designs accessible robotic technologies to improve movement and function across neurologic and orthopedic populations, including stroke, cerebral palsy, and joint injury. They also explore translational research, neuromuscular plasticity, human-centered design, and the future role of robotics in physiatry—making this a valuable conversation for PM&R residents, fellows, medical students, and anyone interested in rehab technology. Guest: Chandramouli Krishnan, P.T., Ph.D., director of NeuRRo Lab at University of Michigan - [email protected] - https://neurro-lab.engin.umich.edu/home Host: Bilaal Hassan