Physician Features
Faces of Physiatry: Dr. Michael T. Armstrong
Dr. Michael Armstrong has called Minnesota home for the past 51 years. He began his academic career at the University of St. Thomas, following in the footsteps of his father. Initially drawn to dentistry, Dr. Armstrong soon discovered his true passion lay in medicine and went on to attend his top-choice medical school, the University of Minnesota. He was appointed Chief of Staff for the Minneapolis VA Health Care System in November 2022.
Before stepping into his current role, Dr. Armstrong held several key leadership positions. He served as Director of the Rehabilitation and Extended Care Integrated Care Community and as Acting Director of the Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder Center. Additionally, he led the University of Minnesota’s Brain Injury Medicine Fellowship through the 2022 academic year.
Dr. Armstrong is actively involved in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, an organization he first learned about back when he was in residency. He has been an ABPMR volunteer with the BIM Exam since 2012 (since that exam's beginning) and is an associate director (AD) on the BIM Exam Committee. He was an item writer and oral examiner before becoming AD. As AD, he has been responsible for working with a small group of item writers and his mentorship has carried the BIM Exam a long way as a result.
What made you choose PM&R as a specialty?
After running into an old friend at a baseball game who was also studying medicine, she recommended PM&R, describing it as the “hidden gem” of medicine. I explored various specialties including internal medicine, radiology, and hospitalist work. But it was during my first rotation in PM&R that I felt a genuine connection, the team environment and team rounds, the interdisciplinary goals, I found that nowhere else in all my other rotational experiences so from that moment on I was all in with PM&R.
During residency, I spent a year at the Minneapolis VA, which was also a TBI Center of Excellence. It was during the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we were caring for active-duty service members injured in combat. As the first male in my family who didn’t serve in the military, I found the experience incredibly energizing, and mission driven. It set me on the path of working with veterans.
How did you get started volunteering with ABPMR?
I think I received an email inviting me to be a Part II examiner, and I remember it was the first year with the new vignette format. I thought it was so interesting, and I loved being a part of the process. I was able to meet a lot of colleagues, but I really loved the idea that I was helping future physiatrists and ensuring their certification was appropriate.
I was one of the original item writers for the Brain Injury Medicine exam, and I still remember my first committee meeting. At my table were place cards for Dr. Silva and Dr. Arciniegas, the authors of the textbooks I had studied to understand the field. I couldn’t believe I was sitting with the very people whose work had shaped my learning. I even took a photo of the table and I have it saved on my phone to this day.
What advice would you give a physician who is thinking about volunteering?
My general advice is to just take risks and say yes. You don’t know what doors that opportunity will open for you whether that’s personally or professionally.
How did you get involved with the National Veteran Wheelchair games?
We first hosted the National Veteran Wheelchair Games in 2005, during my residency, and this year we had the honor of hosting again, marking the 20th anniversary of that event. The National Veterans Wheelchair Games rotate each year to a new city, and they have over 20 different events such as archery, basketball, bowling, pickleball, swimming, and rugby to name a few. Our residents attended (just like I did) and served as medical staff. It is a unique experience to participate in adaptive sport and gain exposure to the veterans. It is a great teaching opportunity.
The event is a massive undertaking, but it exemplifies what we all hope rehab to be, which is reintegrating into the life that everyone wants. Whether it is playing sports, or relational, it is finding that drive, competitiveness, and particularly the camaraderie. It is an inspiring event for participants and volunteers, and the reward is seeing how much joy it brought to the veterans and their families.
To learn more about the National Veterans Wheelchair Games visit their website here.
What are some hobbies or interests you have outside work?
I teach a physician leadership development program to help improve physicians’ ability to lead. I am an avid reader and enjoy running, lifting weights, and playing pickleball. I have 4 kids who are all competitive swimmers, so I have a very busy life outside work.
I like to travel, most recently I visited Norway, and I am taking my two youngest kids to Paris next month.
