This page aims to draw attention to Health Equity and DEI issues within the field of rehabilitation. This includes diversifying the workforce, recognizing connections, creating supportive environments where individuals from diverse backgrounds may experience microaggressions, unconscious bias, and discrimination.
View the latest DEIB research on Rehabilitation from PubMed.
Carl V. Granger, MD, a third-generation African American physician whose groundbreaking work has significantly shaped the landscape of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R).
Dr. Granger’s legacy is perhaps most prominently defined by his visionary role in developing the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) instrument. This instrument, for many years, served as the gold standard for measuring the functioning and functional independence of patients in rehabilitation. Today, it remains a cornerstone in rehabilitation research, a testament to the enduring impact of Dr. Granger’s innovative contributions.
In 1987, Dr. Granger, in collaboration with the State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo, founded the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDSMR). This groundbreaking initiative marked a pivotal moment in the history of PM&R, as it introduced a standardized data set for medical rehabilitation. Dr. Granger’s foresight and dedication paved the way for a systematic and uniform approach to measuring rehabilitation outcomes, significantly advancing our understanding of treatment effectiveness