Navy
MEDICAL
Subspecialty

Officer Subspecialty

15L1

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Subspecialty

An officer subspecialty earned alongside a primary designator, marking advanced education or experience in this field.

Description

This subspecialty covers physician practice in physical medicine and rehabilitation, focusing on restoring function and independence after injury or illness. The work may emphasize areas such as pain, spine care, sports medicine, or neurologic rehabilitation.

Core Skills

  • functional assessment
  • rehabilitation planning
  • musculoskeletal diagnosis
  • neurologic rehabilitation
  • pain management
  • electrodiagnostic testing
  • injection procedures
  • care team coordination
  • patient education

Common Certifications

  • American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Certification
  • American Board of Pain Medicine Certification
  • Certified Independent Medical Examiner (CIME)
  • Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
  • Basic Life Support (BLS)
  • Medical Review Institute of America Disability Evaluation Certification

Civilian Career Paths

  • REHABILITATION
  • CLINICAL TECHNICIAN
  • BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

Training & Development

Getting Started

  • Basic Life Support (BLS)
  • Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
  • American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Primary Certification
  • Ultrasound-Guided Injection Training

Career Growth

  • American Board of Pain Medicine Certification
  • Certified Independent Medical Examiner (CIME)
  • American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine Certification
  • Certified Medical Director (CMD)

Equivalent Roles in Other Branches

Data sourced from official Navy publications and public military occupational references. Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.