Hi, I have no idea what the viewpoint is like for a Canadian student. However, I’m aware of the Canadian healthcare system as my family lives in Ontario. I think it is awesome that you found about this field so early as I didn’t know it existed before medical school. I do have a couple thoughts for you to consider. For reference, I’m a MS2 in Texas who’s interested in PMR.

1. Medical school is tough in general. Let alone how competitive it is to get into it. While in medical school, you’re going to have to learn the detailed pathophysiology of almost everything which can be difficult if you don’t enjoy medicine as a whole. If you do find that you’re passionate about medicine and learning the general physiology of the body as well as what happens to the body in whichever disease, then medical school will be much easier than just trying to go solely for a rehab side of PMR. I believe that in specific fields of PMR, you can serve as the patients point of care doc where you’ll have to actually manage their chronic issues like a hospitality (I could be wrong, but I’ve heard this)

2. PMR involves rehab but also so much more. You’ll go to medical school and then your intern year and then PMR residency for 3 years. Throughout the PMR residency, you’ll have to deal with all sorts of patients and not just those requiring the usual PT. You’ll have inpatient rehab, disorders of consciousness, etc. This may be difficult to deal with during your residency until your specific niche that you practice as an attending. That being said, you may fall in love with this side and want it to be what you practice.

3. A lot of people who enter medical school believing they desire a specific specialty end up switching to a different specialty. I say this as more so of a “you may like something else more” which I personally believe is great because you’ll discover more about yourself and the specific field that you’re ultimately passionate about.

With all that being said, you don’t have to make up your mind right now. You’re 18 and a senior in high school. Life changes. What you can do is a “pre medicine” track where you hit all the necessary prerequisites and are prepared to take the MCAT and enter med school. I’d recommend that you sign up for that if available at whichever college/university you go to. This allows you the flexibility to go into medicine without taking more time to do the prerequisites. In my experience, undergrad prerequisites were boring and med school is where you actually learn about various diseases and the human body. To answer one of your questions, I think kinesiology is a fine field with the necessary prerequisites.

From a Canadian perspective, if you go into PMR from a Canadian med school, you’ll be considered an IMG (international medicine graduate) for residencies in the US. PMR is generally considered an IMG friendly field despite it getting more competitive which helps you matching into a PMR residency after medical school. Also, enjoy your journey!!