Education of Rehabilitation Medicine in Thailand

抄録

Training and education in Rehabilitation Medicine in Thailand was started at Siriraj Hospital for 6th year medical students in 1958. The Society for Thai Rehabilitation Medicine was founded in 1972, developed into the Thai Rehabilitation Medicine Association in 1988 and was established as the Royal College of Physiatrists of Thailand in 1998. A Board Certification system for Rehabilitation Medicine was initiated in 1985 and the present number of certified physiatrists is 211.
Teaching and training in Rehabilitation Medicine in Thailand is divided into undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The objective of undergraduate education is to develop attitudes that will enable medical students to see the patients holistically and to teach basic diagnostic and therapeutic skills to 5th and 6th year medical students. At Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, rehabilitation medicine is included in the Orthopedic rotation which earns 6 credits and elective clinical experience in rehabilitation medicine earns another 2 credits out of a total of 263 credits towards a medical degree. The postgraduate program consists of a 3-year residency training program approved by the Thai Medical Council. There are 6 university hospitals responsible for training with a total of 10-14 residency positions available per year. The components of training include: basic science, clinical science, clinical evaluation and treatment, electrodiagnosis, orthotics and prosthetics. Subspecialty training in pain, pediatrics, orthopaedics, neurology, rheumatology, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, etc. are included in this 3 year training course. Elective periods of 1-2 months in the Department of Medicine, Orthopedic surgery and Neurology are also provided. The trainees are required to work in the training center for not less than 36 months and must publish at least one acceptable research study within their 3 year course. Residents who have fullfilled all of the requirements will be eligible for the board examination which comprises 40% of written examination and 60% of oral and skill examination which includes 4 parts; oral (20%), OSCE (15%), electrodiagnosis (15%) and orthotics/prosthetic (10%). After passing the board examination the specialty diplomas will be conferred upon them by the Thai Medical Council.