ABPMR Brain Injury Medicine study guide
ABPMR Brain Injury Medicine · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR) lists Brain Injury Medicine among its subspecialty certifications, alongside Hospice & Palliative Medicine, Neuromuscular Medicine, Pain Medicine, Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, Spinal Cord Injury Medicine, and Sports Medicine. The credential is listed for physicians in physical medicine and rehabilitation who are pursuing subspecialty certification; it sits within ABPMR's broader certification system, which the board describes as serving physicians who have gained or are working toward board certification in PM&R. The ABPMR Brain Injury Medicine study guide has 6 sections and about 2,089 words.
01Assessment, Diagnosis, and Ongoing Medical Management of Brain Injury
Acute assessment starts with mechanism and physiology: prevent secondary injury from hypoxia (SpO2 <90%), hypotension (SBP <90 mmHg), hyperthermia, hypo- or hyperglycemia, and seizures. Noncontrast head CT is the acute test of choice for hemorrhage, mass effect, and herniation; MRI (SWI/GRE for axonal shear and microhemorrhage, FLAIR for contusion) answers later prognostic questions.
352 words, about 2 min02Neurobehavioral, Cognitive, and Psychiatric Sequelae of Brain Injury
Cognitive recovery follows a hierarchy. Attention and processing speed slow first; working memory, declarative memory, and executive functions (initiation, planning, set-shifting, self-monitoring) are most vulnerable, while language and visuospatial deficits track focal injury.
329 words, about 2 min03Medical and Neurologic Complications and Comorbidity Management
After stabilization, the rehabilitation clinician's job is complication surveillance. Seizures: early seizures (<7 days) are common and justify up to 7 days of prophylaxis (levetiracetam or phenytoin), which does not prevent late post-traumatic epilepsy.
337 words, about 2 min04Rehabilitation Interventions, Functional Recovery, and Assistive Technology
Rehabilitation after brain injury is interdisciplinary: physiatry leads, with PT, OT, speech-language pathology, neuropsychology, nursing, social work, and vocational services. Recovery is driven by intensity and specificity of practice, so early mobilization and task-specific, repetitive training (gait, reach, ADLs) form the core.
351 words, about 2 min05Special Populations, Including Pediatric and Geriatric Brain Injury
Pediatric brain injury differs in mechanism, physiology, and trajectory. Abusive head trauma is the leading cause of severe TBI in infants; assess for inconsistent history, retinal hemorrhage, and fractures.
351 words, about 2 min06Systems of Care, Ethics, Advocacy, and Medicolegal Issues
Brain injury care spans acute trauma care, inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, home and community-based services, and vocational re-entry. In the US, inpatient rehabilitation facility admission requires physician oversight, 24-hour rehabilitation nursing, an interdisciplinary plan, and a reasonable expectation of measurable functional gain; the historical '3-hour rule' was replaced by an individualized intensity standard, and group therapy time is capped.
369 words, about 2 min