What Is a Rehabilitation Specialist?
A rehabilitation specialist is a medical or psychosocial professional who assists patients in recovery from physical injuries or weaknesses, or mental illness. The goal of his or her intervention is to have the patient return to normal or nearly normal functioning in his or her daily activities. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychiatrists, social workers, and vocational counselors are all rehabilitation specialists. Respiratory therapists and speech-language pathologists also do rehabilitative work with patients.
