The UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation leads the way in meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities through compassionate care, cutting-edge research, and training the next generation of professionals. To further this mission, PM&R residents spent the day at the Lakeshore Foundation as part of their annual retreat.
Over the years UAB PM&R and Lakeshore Foundation have developed a partnership with the shared goal of promoting opportunities for a healthy and active lifestyle for individuals with disability through research and advocacy. This educational visit allowed the residents to learn about the resources Lakeshore offers people with disability in and around the Birmingham area.
Lakeshore is as an Olympic and Paralympic Training Site, and the home of USA Wheelchair Rugby strengthening the ongoing commitment to the development of adaptive sports. PM&R residents have had the opportunity to learn from UAB PM&R faculty members with a passion for adaptive sports, but this visit allowed them to experience it for themselves.
One highlight of the day for residents was learning how to play wheelchair basketball. They also had the honor of being courtside with the USA men’s wheelchair rugby team holding practice onsite. The rugby coaches spoke to the residents about their experiences that led them to their coaching role, what a day in the life of a wheelchair rugby player is like, and how physiatrists can better help and understand what these players are going through.
Chief residents Jacob Schultz, M.D. and Brea Willeford, D.O. knew their visit to Lakeshore would be beneficial to the group of 12 PM&R residents, but the experience exceeded even their expectations.
“As a physiatrist, understanding disability in all its stages is key to providing excellent patient care. Since residents frequently see it in the early stages during an acute hospital stay, it is enlightening and inspiring to see people flourish in spite of it as time passes. I believe we can use our experiences from our Lakeshore visit to encourage our future patients to access these amazing resources so readily available here in Birmingham,” stated Schultz.