AOBPMR PM&R study guide
AOBPMR PM&R · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The American Osteopathic Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AOBPMR) is an AOA specialty certifying board that awards osteopathic board certification in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, with conjoint pathways listed in Hospice & Palliative Medicine, Pain Medicine, and Sports Medicine, plus an OMT Designation. Certification is aimed at osteopathic physiatrists who have completed accredited PM&R training and want a quality marker recognized by patients, employers, and credentialers. The process has two examination stages: a Part I Written Exam and a Part II Oral Exam, followed by lifelong maintenance through Osteopathic Continuous Certification (OCC), whose Component 4 is a longitudinal assessment. The board publishes exam dates and deadlines, remote exam preparation guidance, board policies, and test accommodation information on its site. Topics on this exam: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (Part I Written Exam) and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (Part II Oral Exam). The AOBPMR PM&R study guide has 2 sections and about 598 words.
01Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation - Part I Written Exam
The Part I written exam tests breadth across the specialty with a strong emphasis on functional anatomy, electrodiagnosis, musculoskeletal medicine, neurorehabilitation, and prosthetics/orthotics . Candidates must be fluent in lesion localization (peripheral nerve, plexus, root, cord, brain), the physiology behind spasticity and gait, and the evidence base for rehabilitation interventions. Electrodiagnosis: understand the difference between axonal loss (reduced amplitude) and demyelination (prolonged latency/slowing), the timing of Wallerian degeneration, and when needle EMG shows fibrillation potentials (roughly 2–3 weeks after injury). Neurorehabilitation: lesion-level reasoning - UMN vs LMN signs, Brown-Séquard, central cord, cauda equina vs conus medullaris.
304 words, about 2 min02Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation - Part II Oral Exam
The Part II oral exam assesses clinical reasoning, communication, and safe decision-making under structured questioning. Examiners present a vignette and probe your differential, workup, management, and rehabilitation plan. You are graded on organization, prioritization, and the ability to defend your choices - not on reciting facts. Structured presentation: history → focused exam → differential → diagnostic plan → acute management → rehabilitation plan → disposition.
294 words, about 1 min