How to become A Sports Medicine Physician

Sports Medicine Physicians have the favored opportunity to do more good in one day than most people have in a month. They strive to prevent and treat sports injuries while increasing awareness of human exercise performance and the causes of fatigue.

• Sports Doctor
• Team Physician
• Athletic Team Physician
• Head Team Physician
• Sports Medicine Doctor
• Sports Medical Professional

What do Sports Medicine Physicians do?

A Sports Medicine Physician would typically need to:

• Diagnose and treat musculoskeletal injuries that occur as a result of participation in sports; offer specialized treatment for joint, muscle, and bone issues
• Treat chronic health conditions that can affect athletic performance, such as asthma and diabetes
• Counsel athletes; help them maximize performance, prevent injuries, and lead a healthy lifestyle through supplements, diet plans, or exercise regimens
• Reduce injury time and minimize the co-morbidities associated with participation in sports
• Help athletes with valid psychological or substance abuse issues related to sports
• Collaborate with physical therapists, athletic trainers, and other healthcare professionals to plan courses of treatment and rehabilitation for their patients
• Promote ethical standards in sports by contributing to sporting organizations and teams; foster improvements in public health by encouraging physical activity and exercise for all
• Develop and implement public health policy for physical activity programs; collaborate with health authorities, sporting organizations, and other community agencies that promote healthy lifestyles and safety standards in sport
• Participate in audits, research, and training to contribute to the development of their profession as a specialty

Sports Medicine Physicians work in diverse environments and conditions ranging from the sterile, cool, well-lit hospital operating theater to the warm, humid, and often crowded atmosphere of an indoor municipal swimming pool. Your patient’s sport determines your workplace.

Generally, you will see patients in your clinic while collaborating with nurses, office assistants, and other personnel. You will carry out most of your day-to-day responsibilities and attend to patients who are not professional athletes in clean, comfortable surroundings. Yet, on game day, Sports Medicine Physicians find themselves in the thick of the athletes’ action on a muddy football, baseball, or soccer field. You may be cooped up in a sweaty stadium where a wrestling match is going on, shiver in the frosty outdoors for winter sports, or swelter in a scorching, dusty track and field setting.

The dress code would vary depending on the kind of job and the type of medical facility you work in. By and large, patients prefer their health care providers to wear white coats rather than scrubs or dress clothes. A uniform that is taken care of and fits right, closed-toe shoes, short or secured hair, and subtle and mild scents go a long way in establishing patient confidence in you.

When working in private practice, you may choose to wear business casual, conservative clothing. Abide by the prescribed dress code prescribed for formal events.

On trips to sporting competitions, you would need to wear weather and venue-appropriate clothing, perhaps the team attire on occasions, or perhaps a white coat to ensure your identification as a Sports Medicine Physician for the team with which you work.

Sports Medicine Physicians work fairly long hours in their regular practices. Travel with the teams to sporting events requires them to be away from home and family for the duration of the event.

Most Sports Medicine Physicians are self-employed in private practice or employed by professional sports organizations. Some choose to partner with or work under other doctors. Universities employ them as medical professionals, professors, or researchers.

Sports Medicine Physicians are generally employed by:

• Sports Medicine Divisions of Hospitals
• Sports Clinics
• Rehabilitation Centers
• College/University Teaching Hospitals
• University Sports Teams
• Professional Athletes, Sports Teams & Organizations
• Community Health Clinics
• Private & Public Practices
• Chiropractic Offices

You may choose to join local, regional, national, or international associations that focus on general medicine, osteopathy, orthopedics, sports medicine, or athletic training. Membership in one or more fosters your professional development and looks excellent on your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications as a Sports Medicine Physician.

The International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS) provides a forum for Sports Medicine associations worldwide to collaborate towards the study and development of the field by providing overall care to all those engaged in sports and exercise. Attending a conference held by FIMS will put you in touch with like-minded professionals in your field and allow you to share in the latest advances in research and technology.

• Managing conflict of interest between teams and players
• Communicating with all parties after an injury to any of the players
• Deciding the best method of treatment and dealing with high expectations for treatment outcomes
• Spending time away from home and family when accompanying professional sports teams or athletes on trips
• Returning the player safely and quickly to play but knowing when is the right time to do so

While it is tough for high school students to gather direct experience in this field, they would do well to take health and science classes and join science clubs. First-hand experience working with the physician, coach, or athletic trainer of a school team will offer you a fresh perspective on a team physician’s job and help you get paid or volunteer roles later on. Try to work with a Sports Medicine Physician according to your college or professional sports aspirations. Observing the physicians on the sidelines or in their offices will help you learn the soft skills essential to the successful practice of the profession.

The last two years of the four-year medical program include clinical rotations and hands-on interactions with patients. Residency constitutes a medical student’s first job in the field and helps them gain further experience.

Fellowship affords experience in diverse aspects of sports medicine. These include ultrasound procedures, strengthening techniques, proprioceptive and neuromuscular control techniques, diagnostic and therapeutic injections, orthopedics, and sports psychology.

In some locations, the two foundation years offer a comprehensive range of medical experience under the supervision of experienced healthcare professionals.

You need a medical degree to become a Sports Medicine Physician, specializing in primary care or orthopedic surgery and a super specialty in sports medicine. The entire program may take about ten to fourteen years after high school.

Prerequisites typically include optimal high school grades, an undergraduate degree in exercise science, biology, chemistry, or physics, ideal scores on the relevant standardized admission tests, and relevant evidence of a well-rounded personality.

You can choose between a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. Osteopathic programs are more focused on integrative or holistic healthcare practices. Academic training usually comprises gross anatomy, radiology, neuroanatomy, foreign language, and life support. The last two years offer the option to specialize and super specialize.

Internship and residency, leading to licensure to practice, can take an additional two to four years. Residency does not typically allow for specialization in sports medicine. Therefore, those who would like to become primary care Sports Medicine Physicians usually complete a three-year residency in family/internal medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, or physical medicine & rehabilitation. Those wishing to become orthopedic surgeons who specialize in sports medicine must complete a residency in orthopedic surgery.

A one-year sports medicine fellowship focuses on primary care or orthopedic rehabilitation procedures. Both pathways provide opportunities to develop research skills.

Depending on your location, entry into medical school is possible after graduating from high school. Passing accredited exams at the end of two foundation years of core medical training or emergency medical training, or general practitioner training qualify you for entry into the four-year specialty program. Postings depend on rankings based on country-wide applications and interviews.

In some countries, Sports Medicine Physicians must acquire a state license and a medical license to practice their profession legally. A medical license serves to protect patients and allows the physician to treat patients and prescribe medicines. It demonstrates the currency of knowledge and skills through regular checks and revalidation.

In other countries, Sports Medicine Physicians may need to acquire licensure and medical registration from a nationwide regulatory body. A country’s medical register sets ethical standards. It lists doctors, the type of registration they hold, their training, and other relevant information that makes patients feel confident in the quality of care they receive.

After obtaining full registration, you may seek to apply to a specialist’s register with your specialist medical qualification. You may also earn a certificate of completion of specialist training.

Performance, experience, and acquisition of professional qualifications drive career progression. Advancement paths vary depending on the Sports Medicine Physician's affiliation with athletic organizations, whether part-time or full-time.

For the most part, advancement follows the successful development of private practice. Those who work full time in professional athletic organizations may advance from Assistant to Team Physician with an incremental increase in responsibilities and salary.

Qualified and experienced Sports Medicine Physicians who are good team players and adept at working with coaches, parents, and elite athletes may have the best job prospects.

Sports Medicine Physicians must actively and constantly solve complex problems and upskill themselves by learning new things related to their specialty. They must periodically engage in continuing professional development (CPD) to maintain or renew vital credentials.

CPD includes online and real-time training courses and conferences at local, regional, national, or international levels. You get to meet like-minded professionals who collaborate and share knowledge, research, and resources. Podcasts, journals, and other publications from relevant accredited organizations can prove invaluable.

Continuing medical education gives Sports Medicine Physicians opportunities to develop their technical skills and grow more competent in comprehensive healthcare and patient management while learning ways to enhance their practice or the profession.

Fellowships

These are salaried positions that may last around a year. The salary package may include paid vacations, medical and dental benefits, and life insurance. Fellows deal with fitness injuries in patients pursuing sports as a profession or a recreational activity. They also work at sporting events, research laboratories, or clinics for the spine, hands, and feet. Fellowships are highly competitive, to the extent of accepting just one applicant per year at times.

The Scope of the Profession

Sports Medicine Physicians provide diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal issues to individuals who exercise, would like to do so, or for whom exercise is beneficial. They care for the injury and explain to patients how to properly care for the injury while still keeping active. Their patients are inclusive of all ages and genders.

Physicians in Sports Medicine may treat patients with injuries sustained in singular accidents, more generalized aches, pains, and chronic health issues that may interfere with optimal sports and exercise performance. They decide on proper medical intervention, which may include bracing, medication, or even surgical treatment.

Mode of Operation

Many patients find their way to a Sports Medicine Physician through referrals from their primary care physicians. The patient assessment begins with a detailed investigation and recording of their clinical history, followed by an initial physical examination.

Using various diagnostic and treatment techniques and tools, they work with their patients to chart a recovery path back into action. In all treatment options and for all kinds of patients, the doctor aims to devise a treatment and rehabilitation plan that returns the patient-athlete to peak performance at the earliest.

Tools & Techniques of the Trade

Sports Medicine Physicians use advanced imaging technology, including X-rays, MRI, and CAT scans. Essential techniques include testing physical fitness, inspecting biomechanics, gait assessment, anthropometric and compartment pressure measurements, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and cardio-pulmonary exercise testing.

Sports Medicine Physicians may include ultrasonically guided musculoskeletal injections and spinal injections in their treatment procedures. They map out physical activity and exercise plans for rehabilitation, referring patients to trainers or therapists if needed.

Staying Cool

Most Sports Medicine Physicians report that they find their work fulfilling, enjoy their interactions with their coworkers, and do not feel stressed most of the time. In fact, they are considered to be the least stressed among all specialist physicians.

Importance to Sports Teams

Professional teams that invest in competent Sports Medicine Physicians find that their services offer the best value for money. Coaches and management are aware that proper nutrition, conditioning, and training prevent injuries to athletes, which is key to the performance of professional athletes and the earnings of their sponsors.

A Growing Clinical Specialty

As new athlete populations emerge, Sports Medicine Physicians are super specializing in athletes with disabilities, elite child athletes, exercise and pregnancy, and sports such as skating, running, and dancing.

High Demand and Competition

While Sports Medicine Physicians continue to be in high demand, the profession is highly competitive as the number of physicians employed to care for professional sports teams is limited. Securing a job can prove to be a challenge despite your training.

Sixty-two percent of organized sports-related injuries occur during practice.

Sports Medicine Physicians strive to help every athlete achieve their optimal performance and get them back to what they love - exercise and competition.

The doctor of the future will give no medicine; rather, they must interest their patients in the care of the human frame, diet, and the cause and prevention of disease.