About PHYSIATRY360
Welcome to Physiatry360.
My name is Minjae Song, a first-year medical student at Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, Class of 2029. Physiatry360 was created as a space to better understand and more accurately represent the full scope of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
My “360-degree” view of PM&R began at a conference I attended early in my medical training. There, I was introduced to the wide range of subfields and subspecialties within physiatry, including sports medicine, interventional spine, neurorehabilitation, pain, and adaptive sports. What stood out was not only the diversity of practice, but the shared focus on function, context, and long-term impact. PM&R was not narrow or siloed—it was expansive and interdisciplinary.
That perspective built on experiences that predated medical school.
I played lacrosse through high school and competed at the U-17 Korean national level. Being deeply involved in sport naturally led me to an early interest in sports medicine and injury care. While I no longer compete at that level, I continue to stay active through CrossFit and running, which has kept me closely connected to the practical realities of training, recovery, and injury prevention.
After completing my premedical training and before entering medical school, I served as a medic in a military setting. Much of the work involved emergency care and triage under demanding conditions. However, the majority of injuries I encountered were musculoskeletal in nature. What became clear was that these injuries were rarely limited to physical impairment alone. In environments where readiness and role mattered, loss of function carried broader consequences—for identity, resilience, and purpose.
For individuals deeply involved in sport, as well as for those with lower levels of physical activity, the ability to move freely—without restriction—plays a significant role in mental well-being. Function is not an abstract concept; it shapes how people experience independence, confidence, and daily life.
Although PM&R is a rapidly growing field, it remains relatively niche and is often understood incompletely, particularly early in medical training. That gap is what motivated the creation of Physiatry360. I wanted to build a journal that brings people together across backgrounds and stages of training, in a space that is accessible, collaborative, and more conversational than traditional academic outlets
Physiatry360 reflects that goal. Through clinical insights and personal narratives, this journal aims to show physiatry from multiple angles, highlighting not only what the field does, but how and why it is practiced.
I am still learning. Physiatry360 is not built from authority, but from curiosity, reflection, and collaboration. It exists for students, residents, clinicians, and anyone interested in a specialty centered on function, recovery, and possibility.