|
Education
Bachelor of Science-Biology Loyola University Chicago,
Il
Doctor of Medicine
University of the East Medical Center
Quezon City, Philippines
Post Doctoral Training
Transitional Residency
MacNeal Hospital/Loyola University Medical School
Chicago, Illinois
Internal Medicine Residency
St Joseph Hospital/Northwestern University Medical School
Chicago, Illinois
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
University of Illinois Hospital
Chicago, Illinois
Research Fellowships
Performing Arts & Musculoskeletal Medicine
University of Texas Health Center
Texas Institute of Rehabilitation & Research (TIRR)
Houston, Texas
Licensure and Board Certification
Diplomate, American Board of Physical Medicine &
Rehabilitation
Hospital Appointments
Hilo Medical Center
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Memberships, Offices and Committee Appointments
American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AAPMR)
Physiatric Spine, Sports &Occupational Medicine (PASSOR)
American Association of Electrodiagnostic and
Neuromuscular Medicine (AANEM)
American Academy of
Orthopedic Medicine (AAOM)
Dr. Liza Smigel
specializes in physical
medicine and rehabilitation, also known as physiatry, an unusual
medical field that focuses on illness from the patient's
perspective to help them improve their quality of life. She
practices patient centered medicine; ensuring that each patient
receives care, comfort and safety in terms of pain, and assists
in their psychological and vocational issues as well.
Being a dancer and a medical doctor, her interest in physiatry
started with her desire to treat performing artists and
athletes, as she can talk their language and understand their
psychological makeup and their drive to return to their sports
or profession, despite pain and injuries. After completing a
four year PM&R residency program at the University of Illinois
Hospital in Chicago, she pursued Musculoskeletal and Performing
Arts Medicine fellowship program at University of Texas-Houston,
under the mentorship of the internationally known physiatrist,
dancer and musician, Dr. Rebecca Clearman. With her, she learned
the importance of having a holistic approach in the treatment of
physical injuries.
Since completion of fellowship, she worked in several group
practices. As an associate at Gulf States Rehabilitation, Inc,
in New Orleans, she continued to grow in her skills, working
closely with several physiatrists, doing inpatient and
outpatient rehab and caring for very complex cases in spinal
cord, brain injury, post strokes and other neurological and
musculoskeletal conditions, including workers’ compensation and
motor vehicle injuries.
At Hawaii Orthopaedics, Inc in Hilo, she worked closely with
orthopedic surgeons, spine surgeons, podiatrists and physical
therapy on site, appreciating their different perspectives and
exchanging ideas for treatments of chronic pain and
musculoskeletal and neurological injuries.
In 2002, Dr. Smigel went into private practice in Hilo.
Dr Smigel has a special interest in nonsurgical approaches in
the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries and chronic pain. She
incorporates traditional medical intervention, evaluating and
correcting improper biomechanics with physical therapy, manual
therapy, community based exercises such as Pilates and Yoga.
Prescribing appropriate oral analgesic pain medications,
mainstream interventional pain procedures, alternative, and at
times, controversial procedures, such as prolotherapy and neural
therapy, for treating chronic pain.
She has volunteered her time for several medical missions to the
Philippines, Honduras and Mexico, and has served as a
prolotherapy instructor for the past several years.
Dr Smigel is an expert in diagnosing neurological conditions
with nerve conduction velocity studies and electromyelogram.
She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation, the Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports and
Occupational Rehabilitation, the American Academy of Orthopedic
Medicine and of the American Academy of Electrodiagnostic and
Neuromuscular Medicine.
|
