Michael C. Munin, MD, Receives AANEM's 2024 Distinguished Researcher Award
Published July 30, 2024
Michael C. Munin, MD, has been honored with the 2024 Distinguished Researcher Award. This award recognizes members who have made continuous and significant contributions to clinical neurophysiological, NM, or MSK research.
Dr. Munin’s journey into PM&R began by chance while at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, where he discovered his passion for the field. Dr. Munin reflects on how an assignment to a rehabilitation hospital with the spinal cord injury medicine service sparked his interest. “I found the catastrophic nature of the injury and psychological and physical challenges faced by patients very engaging. I also liked that PM&R used a foundational knowledge base that included MSK and NM medicine,” he says.
Dr. Munin completed his internship in internal medicine at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and PM&R residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1992, he joined the faculty as an instructor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, division of PM&R at the University of Pittsburgh. The following year, he was appointed assistant professor, while also taking on the role of medical director of the inpatient rehabilitation unit at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Presbyterian. He was also accepted into a 1-year clinical research training program for physiatrists during his early career. Dr. Munin is now a professor of PM&R at the UPMC, vice chair of strategic planning, and co-director of the EMG labs at UPMC Presbyterian, Shadyside, and Mercy hospitals.
An AANEM member since 1994, Dr. Munin has been involved in numerous professional committees, including the ABEM Board of Directors, ABEM Examination Committee, Muscle & Nerve Editorial Board, and the PM&R Members Task Force. Dr. Munin is an established author and researcher with 76 peer reviewed publications and 16 book chapters to his credit. He has also been the site principal investigator for multiple industry-funded and investigator-initiated clinical trials. He says his drive for research is long-standing. “I always had an interest in research because there is much in medicine we don’t fully understand.” Dr. Munin credits a mentor, Dr. Gerald J. Herbison, for instilling the importance of performing research to answer vital questions early in his career.
Dr. Munin’s research interests include US-guided interventions for muscle spasticity and dystonia, US assessment of spastic muscle, and laryngeal EMG in voice disorders. He sees a promising future for EDX and NM medicine research and suggests that aspiring researchers question why and how physicians treat patients with NM and MSK injuries and diseases. He encourages them to get curious. “If the rationale is not obvious or if there is a gap in our knowledge, become curious and think about straightforward clinical questions that can be tested,” He notes that well-designed studies, whether prospective or retrospective, can improve patient care.
Throughout his career, Dr. Munin has received several prestigious honors, including the five time Best Teacher Award from the residents in the Department of PM&R at UPMC and the 2022 AANEM Scientific Impact Award. The 2024 Distinguished Researcher Award is a testament to Dr. Munin’s dedication and contributions to PM&R research. “I am truly honored to receive this award from the AANEM, which highlights my clinical research. It represents one of the highest professional honors of my 32-year career.”