Hello again! Today I’m writing about who Sports Physicians are, what they do and why they interest me!
You’ve probably heard of Physicians before, they are the normal doctors that you go to see for your check-up. However, Sports Physicians are different, more specialized doctors that prevent and treat injuries and conditions that relate to sports and athletics. Sports Physicians help athletes diagnose, treat and rehabilitate injuries, and they are often the athlete’s main doctor. They work in a wide variety of environments, ranging from hospitals and clinics to colleges or professional sports teams. Some Sports Physicians even have the training to perform surgical procedures, but most don’t and instead focus on the general care of the athlete. Sports Physicians are very flexible in that they have many choices in where to work, what to specialize and even what type of athletes they work with, whether it be professional or amateur.
Picture found here: http://goo.gl/VE7zGD
The variety of options and choices is the main reason that I’m interested in Sports Physicians. I’m not sure what I would like to do, but being able to work with athletes and sports would be amazing, as I am very passionate about athletics. It also incorporates biology and human physiology, which I enjoy learning about. The occupation itself is very interesting, however it is a very long road to become a Sports Physician.
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After you get a Bachelors degree with a foundation in biology, chemistry and physics, you must take the MCAT, or the Medical College Admission Test. Then, you must apply and attend a medical school for another 4 years to become either a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) or a Doctor of Medicine (MD). There are differences between the two degrees, but MD is the most common. After medical school is complete, you must complete residency programs to become either a Primary care sports physician or an Orthopedic surgeon, both of which are a type of Sports Physician, with a primary care sports physician being more flexible with what they do. There are other steps such as fellowships and certifications, which are the final steps to officially becoming a Sports Physician.
It’s a long process to become a Sports Physician, however, I think it would be rewarding to have the ability to help athletes become healthy, pursue their dreams and be a positive figure in many people’s lives. I encourage anybody interested in sports and biology to look into becoming a Sports Physician, as it combines the best of both worlds.
To learn more about Sports Physicians, click here, here or even look at the references below which I used to learn more about Sports Physicians. I have also linked a YouTube video that briefly explains what a Sports Medicine Physician does from a doctor’s point of view.
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed my brief overview on Sports Physicians!
Works cited:
Anderson, L. C. “Ethical Issues Concerning New Zealand Sports Doctors.” Journal of Medical Ethics 31.2 (2005): 88-92. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. Web. 7 Sept. 2014. <http://www.amssm.org/BrochureImages/WhatisaSportsMe-1.pdf>.
“How to Become a Sports Doctor.” InnerBody. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2014. <http://www.innerbody.com/careers-in-health/how-to-become-a-sports-doctor.html>.
“Sports Medicine Physician: Education and Training Requirements.” Education Portal. Education Portal, n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2014. <http://education-portal.com/articles/Sports_Medicine_Physician_Education_and_Training_Requirements.html>.
“What Are Some Popular Sports Medicine Careers?” Degree Directory. Degree Diretory, n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2014. <http://degreedirectory.org/articles/What_are_Some_Popular_Sports_Medicine_Careers.html>.
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