About

Our Society was initially founded in 1921 as the New York Electrotherapeutic Society. 

In 1933 the name was changed to New York Society of Physical Therapy. 

The term Physical Medicine was adopted and favored over Physical Therapy in 1944 and the Society’s name was eventually changed to its current New York Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (NYSPMR) by early 1945. 

The 25th anniversary of the Society’s founding was celebrated at the Liederkranz Club, in New York City, on March 16, 1946. 

The New York Academy established the section of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in 1965. 

The Society’s Resident’s Night became an annual event starting in 1966 and continues to be an anticipated NYSPMR event to this day. 

In 1973 the NYSPMR was formally incorporated into the State of New York. 

For the following years, the tradition of regular monthly meetings on the 1st Wednesday of each month has continued. Meetings were held at the New York Academy on East 103rd Street, then were transitioned to the modern facilities of the Hospital for Special Surgery. In Fall 2013, the Society in joint sponsorship with NYU Post-Graduate Medical School moved to NYU Medical Center for future lectures and meetings. 

Following the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in New York, our Society worked on restructuring itself, and a new modern and integrated website was created by the end of 2020, to serve as a virtual platform for our lectures, workshops and other NYSPMR activities and meetings.

New York Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is an educational specialty organization of the New York Academy of Medicine that is governed by its own Executive Committee members. Meetings continue to be held on a monthly basis on the first Wednesday of each month with the exception of July, August, and holidays. Society meetings consist of lecture topics relevant to the field of rehabilitation medicine which are presented by nationally and internationally renowned invited speakers. Business meetings conducted by the NYSPMR Board members are also held on a monthly basis and are usually open to all active members.

The Society’s social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) share information such as upcoming society and specialty related events, member achievements and awards, and legislative topics.