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Final Program


Final Program

Administrative / Leadership / Education

1820 - The State of PM&R in Myanmar: Understanding the Current Scope, Training, and Practice of Rehabilitation Medicine

Friday, February 20, 2026
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM AST
Objectives: Myanmar is a lower middle income country located in South East Asia with ongoing healthcare disparities and socioeconomic hardships. While rehabilitation medicine exists, it is severely underdeveloped. This study examines the scope and practice of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) in Myanmar to identify gaps in training and education, access to services, and opportunities for rehabilitation medicine development efforts.

Design: We conducted a narrative literature review using PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, and Cochrane. Relevant publications included articles that discussed physical medicine and rehabilitation, education and training in rehabilitation medicine, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, current services and access to rehabilitation care in Myanmar. Only articles in English were screened, and there were no restrictions on date publications. Only nine articles met criteria.

Results: PM&R services in Myanmar are concentrated in major cities such as Yangon and Mandalay, with services for inpatient, outpatient, and limited- home based rehabilitation, and prostheses distribution in larger hospitals and covered by a tax-based health system. Due to minimal government funding, support from international organizations like the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is vital. No formal residency training in PM&R currently exists, though postgraduate degrees in rehabilitation medicine are offered. There is, however, a four year physiotherapy program. OT, Speech, and Psych fields are heavily limited. Referral processes are not well documented. Challenges include socioeconomic disparities limiting access to care especially in rural areas.

Conclusions: Expansion of rehabilitation services in Myanmar remains an ongoing effort. Growth is hindered by widespread socioeconomic challenges, limited healthcare infrastructure, and the absence of structured rehabilitation training. Priorities should include establishing a formal PM&R residency program, expanding rehabilitation centers in underserved regions, and increasing governmental investment in health system development.