The Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation in Regional Institute of Medical Sciences Imphal (PMR) was initially started as Artificial Limb Fitting Centre in 1982 under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. It became Comprehensive Rehabilitation Centre, Regional Rehabilitation Centre, and the present Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation in 1995 under the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, an autonomous central institute under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
It has 31 bedded Rehabilitation Hospital, full-fledged Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy units, Prosthetic and Orthotic units with advanced workshops and an independent Operation Theatre since 1990. MD course in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation recognized by the Medical Council of India was started in 2005.
Over and above rehabilitation, interventional pain procedures like motor point blocks, nerve blocks, epidural injection, ozone nucleolysis, transforaminal blocks, and radiofrequency ablation are routinely done. It runs Osteoporosis, Balance, and Neurophysiological laboratories.
Projects on Adolescent obesity, Osteoporosis, Overused injuries, CTEV, the disease burden of Rheumatological diseases, etc., were some of the important extramural projects of national interest conducted by PMR Department.
So far, at least 124 scientific papers have been published by the PMR Department and 2 faculty members and 3 postgraduate students received the best scientific paper presentation awards. Dr. Kunjabashi Wangjam, Dr. Akoijam Joy Singh and Dr. Nongmaithem Romi Singh were recipients of the prestigious Dr. Rama Rao Travel Fellowship. Three books namely Handbook of Disability Evaluation, Post COVID Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Pain Management for the primary care physicians has been published by the PMR Department.
In 2020, this Department gave birth to another Department of Sports Medicine and the MD course in Sports Medicine recognized by the National Medical Commission was also started in the 2020 Academic session. A one-year postdoctoral Fellowship in Pain Management recognized by Manipur University will start soon.
Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal is once again privileged to host the prestigious 51st National Conference of the Indian Association of Physical Medicine& Rehabilitation, IAPMRCON 2023. The biggest event of the year will be held on February 9-11, 2023 at RIMS Imphal (India). Future directions of PMR, the theme of IAPMRCON 2023 will take us to a destination where we have never been, and it will an eye opener for many. It will be another step forward to remove the confusion in the minds of undergraduate and postgraduate students on the outlook of the PMR specialty.
Another highlight of the IAPMRCON 2023 will be to make ourselves competent and lead the youngsters in Competency Based PMR Education in the future so that we come out clean from the misnomer “Jack of all trades and master of none”. Mastering skills in PMR and enhancing competencies arevital for our survival in this fast-changing medical practice.
PMR is one of the fastest growing medical sciences throughout the world. Many among us are fast adapting to this rapidly changing PMR practice. In the process, rehabilitation remains a victim worldwide and majority of PMR specialists do everything except rehabilitation. This conference will sincerely try to bring ‘Rehabilitation’ back on track.
On behalf of the Organizing Committee, I invite you and family members to this biggest event of our specialty, which is taking place in one of the most beautiful cities in northeast India, in a state which is a powerhouse of sports in India with illustrious world-famous dances and breathtaking scenery.
We assure you a memorable PMR conference ever. Come and join us physically.
Akoijam Joy Singh
President, Organising Committee