Peter A. Grant, MD, Receives 2026 AANEM Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Grant's path into medicine—and ultimately PM&R and EDX—was set early. "I was introduced to electrodiagnostic medicine and neuromuscular medicine by my greatest mentor, my father, Arthur E. Grant, MD," he shared. Growing up, he was immersed in PM&R through his father, a pioneer of the specialty who founded a residency program in San Antonio. "I remember going to work with my Dad and feeling his enthusiasm for diagnosing and treating patients with neuromuscular and musculoskeletal problems." That early exposure left a lasting impression. "As a young teenager I made the decision that I wanted to become a physician and go into PM&R and really never wavered on this."

His training further solidified that direction. During his residency at The Ohio State University, Dr. Grant trained under Ernest W. Johnson, MD, whose passion for the field proved equally formative. "Ernie's love for the fields of PM&R, EDX medicine and NM medicine was infectious," he said. From these mentors, he gained not only clinical knowledge but also the enthusiasm that would sustain a long and fulfilling career.

Over 44 years in practice, Dr. Grant has witnessed remarkable transformation in EDX and NM medicine, particularly in diagnostic technology and treatment advances. He points out that "early EDX machines required multiple and repeated stimulations just to complete one nerve study." With digitalization and computerization, diagnostic precision and efficiency have dramatically improved. At the same time, "the advances in biologics and other pharmaceuticals to treat many neuromuscular diseases is nothing shy of miraculous," he said. For conditions that once had limited options, "now, for many, there is healing and there is hope." He believes the field is only at the leading edge of even more effective therapies to come.

Dr. Grant's own clinical contributions are substantial. After residency, he built a private PM&R practice that became a high-volume center for EDX testing and consultation, where he has performed more than 50,000 EDX exams. His practice emphasizes comprehensive, high-quality EDX and neuromuscular ultrasound (NMUS) diagnostic consultations and interventional treatments. As third-generation PM&R physicians, Dr. Grant's sons, Collin and Austin, have joined his practice, and all three are ABEM certified. Their EDX laboratory was the first AANEM-accredited lab in Oregon (and the second in the United States), and they have maintained that accreditation for more than 10 years.

Dr. Grant's commitment to quality EDX medicine extends well beyond his own practice. He served as the inaugural chair of the EDX Laboratory Accreditation Committee, working with colleagues to develop and implement what has become an important quality safeguard for the specialty. Another testament to his dedication is his leadership in helping write and promote legislation on Capitol Hill aimed at combating fraud and preserving high standards in EDX medicine. "Having worked on this legislative effort for more than 8 years it is my dream to have it passed and enacted into US law," he said.

Equally significant is Dr. Grant's longstanding involvement with the AANEM. A member for 44 years, he has been deeply engaged in the organization's activities, including annual meetings, committee and board service, and advocacy efforts. "I have only missed one AANEM meeting in the last 44 years," he noted. Through the AANEM, Dr. Grant has built lasting relationships with colleagues across disciplines and around the world—connections he describes as one of the most rewarding aspects of his career. Though he has scaled back his clinical schedule, he remains actively engaged and is planning for the next phase of his practice while making more time for family.

Dr. Grant credits his family as the foundation that made his career possible. He describes his wife, Joan, as his "reason why," praising her insight, intuition, and steadfast dedication to their family and six children—often managing the household on her own while he attended meetings and built his practice. He also expresses deep gratitude to his children, Jessica, Collin, Austin, Keenan, Stewart, and Weston, for their constant love, interest, and support.

Receiving the AANEM Lifetime Achievement Award is a moment Dr. Grant approaches with humility. "Though my first (and continued) reaction is one of disbelief, I am nonetheless grateful and honored," he said. "I feel deeply humbled... I do not see this award as an endpoint. I hope to continue to be an active member of this organization and to promote its mission."