Welcome to Episode 12 of the Talking Rehab Podcast! I'm Dr. Fred Bagueras, a board-certified sports and spine medicine physician in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In this episode, I delve into my personal journey into the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) and share insights from my decade-long practice. Below are the key topics and their timestamps to help you navigate through the episode:

**[00:00] Introduction**

- What is rehabilitation? [00:00]

- Introduction and my background [00:02]

**[00:33] My Journey into PM&R**

- High school aspirations and early exposure to physical therapy [00:33]

- Transition to osteopathic medicine and work with an orthopedic surgeon [01:02]

- Initial interest in orthopedic surgery [01:42]

- Clinical rotations and the realization that surgery wasn't for me [01:46]

**[02:30] Discovering PM&R**

- Encounter with senior medical students and introduction to PM&R [02:30]

- Struggles to find rotations in PM&R and eventual exposure [03:07]

- First experiences in inpatient rehab with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries [03:22]

**[05:00] Making the Switch**

- Conflict and decision to switch from family medicine to PM&R [05:00]

- Researching and applying to PM&R programs [05:20]

- Residency at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago [05:29]

**[06:00] Passion for Movement and Rehabilitation**

- Fascination with movement and how injuries affect it [06:00]

- Importance of understanding long-term outcomes [06:32]

- Close collaboration with physical and occupational therapists [07:00]

**[08:00] Musculoskeletal Focus**

- Deep interest in musculoskeletal conditions and their treatments [08:00]

- Decision to pursue a sports and spine medicine fellowship [09:00]

- Impact of fellowship training on my clinical practice [09:49]

**[10:30] Reflection and Future Directions**

- Revisiting my decision to switch to PM&R and its benefits [11:23]

- Continuous curiosity and learning in musculoskeletal medicine [13:32]

- Encouraging open discussions and questions from listeners [14:16]

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope my experiences and insights inspire you to reflect on your own practice and approach to rehabilitation. If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe to the Talking Rehab Podcast. Your support means a lot to me.

Stay connected and keep moving! Follow me on:

- Instagram: @drfredbagares

- Facebook: @drfredbagares

- LinkedIn: Fred Bagares DO

- YouTube: Dr. Fred Bagares - YouTube

- Linktree: [Linktree](https://linktr.ee/drfredbagares)

Thank you for listening, and I wish you a movement-filled day!

Support the Show.