Sports Medicine Physician

Anish Rana
Tuesday, March 3, 2017
Career Development
Mrs. Gicking
Career Development Midterm
Sports Medicine Field
Definition: Area of medicine concerned with treating injuries that
result from athletic activities
Nature of Work for Sports Med Physician:
Treating athletes with musculoskeletal disorders
Consulting with coaches and trainers regularly
Injury prevention
Performance enhancement
Attending games to provide on spot treatment/evaluation
Education/Training
Total years of education after high school: 13
4 years at undergraduate university - Pre-med Bachelors degree
4 years at graduate medical school - MD or DO
3 years of residency in family medicine and primary care
2 years of fellowship
Continuation: Every 10-years, USMLE exam (board exam for all physicians)
Required Skills
Ability to work under high pressure (i.e. at athletic events)
Solve problems - best recovery path
Important decisions - if player should return to game
Possess leadership and communication skills
Consulting with trainers, coaches, PTs
Pathway: Pre-med trek in college
Heavy science knowledge
Work Environment
Office (for public and private Sports Med Physicians)
Patient rooms
Nurses room
Waiting area
Athletic field/area
Assist injured athletes at athletic events
Communicating with patients, nurses, PTs, coaches, trainers, etc. on DAILY
basis
Sometimes requires traveling from athletic events to office
ESFP - personality coincides with job + appeal to traveling
Job Outlook
Expected increase by around 15% by 2024
High compared to most jobs
Plenty of jobs for most physicians due to Baby Boomers aging
Jobs available in all 50 states
Salary
Starting: $166,400
Median: $202,596
Comfortable salary
Salary based on state:
New York - lowest
Mississippi - highest
Breakdown of Professional Associations
Most are private for-profit and non-profit
Some are self-employed (own practice)
Where can Sports Medicine Physicians Work?
Universities
Professional Athletic Teams
Fitness Clubs
Hospitals
Private Practices
Related Occupations
Physical Therapist
Family and General Practitioners
General Internist
Physical Medicine and Rehab Physician
My Thoughts
This would be a good career for me because:
Matches my personality type (ESFP)
Coincides with my interest in science (especially anatomy)
Get to help people
I can see myself being happy with this career for several years (up until
retirement)
I want to own my own practice after years of experience