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harlie
Student
Lincoln, Nebraska
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sports med
What kind of schooling do you need to go into sports medicine?
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Maxine Rigberg Hollie
Business Transformation Manager
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Tampa, Florida
Updated
Maxine’s Answer
A career in sports medicine can be very exciting! While it is exciting, it is very demanding. Depending on what exactly you have an interest in within sports medicine, you will likely need to have at least a Bachelor's Degree, or even a Master's Degree, or a Doctorate, if you want to become a medical doctor.
A great resource for you to look into can be found at the website below. Here's a little bit of information from that website:
How to Become a Sports Medicine Doctor
Step 1: Get a Bachelor's Degree
The first step towards a career in sports medicine is to earn a bachelor's degree. The next step will be to attend medical school, so undergraduates should plan their undergraduate coursework and extracurriculars accordingly. Science majors are recommended, such as biology or chemistry. All medical schools require applicants to have taken a certain number of specified science courses. Students should also participate in activities that demonstrate their leadership abilities, empathy, and interpersonal skills.
Step 2: Attend Medical School
Aspiring sports medicine physicians must next earn a medical degree, either a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). Osteopathic programs place more emphasis on preventative care and the musculoskeletal system than medical doctor programs.
During the first two years of medical school, students take courses on the human body, patient care, and medical ethics. The next two years are spent in clinical rotations in a variety of settings, where students learn to care for and communicate with patients, record medical information, and collaborate with other physicians.
Step 3: Complete a Residency
Residencies are where the path for individuals pursuing a primary care sports medicine career and those pursuing an orthopedic surgery career will diverge. Aspiring primary care sports medicine doctors generally first complete a 3-year residency in family medicine. Other residency options are: internal medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, neuromusculoskeletal, and rehabilitation medicine. Aspiring orthopedic surgeons complete an orthopedic surgery residency.
Step 4: Pursue a Fellowship
Following their residencies, physicians pursuing a career in primary care sports medicine will complete a one- to two-year fellowship in sports medicine. During their fellowship, they learn more about sports injuries and work as team doctors for a local high school or college sports team. They also work within an orthopedic surgery setting and assist in some surgeries. Finally, they continue their training in their initial specialty, such as pediatrics or family medicine.
Individuals pursuing a career in orthopedic surgery can complete a one- to two-year surgical sports medicine fellowship, where they gain more experience in surgically treating sports injuries. Some fellowships train orthopedic surgeons in treating a variety of sports-related injuries. Other fellowships are focused on treating sports-related injuries to a particular joint, such as the shoulder.
Step 5: Earn Licensure and Certification
Both primary care sports medicine doctors and orthopedic surgeons must pass a national standardized licensing exam. Medical doctors must pass the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE). Osteopathic doctors must pass the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam (COMLEX-USA). These exams consist of three parts. The first two parts are taken during medical school. The final part is taken during the residency.
Primary care sports medicine doctors can earn the Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in Sports Medicine. In order to be eligible for the CAQ, candidates must have completed their Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-approved fellowship, hold a medical license, and have a certification in their residency specialty. Board certification programs must be approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).
Good luck!
Visit this site: https://learn.org/articles/Sports_Medicine_How_to_Become_a_Sports_Medicine_Doctor_in_5_Steps.html
A great resource for you to look into can be found at the website below. Here's a little bit of information from that website:
How to Become a Sports Medicine Doctor
Step 1: Get a Bachelor's Degree
The first step towards a career in sports medicine is to earn a bachelor's degree. The next step will be to attend medical school, so undergraduates should plan their undergraduate coursework and extracurriculars accordingly. Science majors are recommended, such as biology or chemistry. All medical schools require applicants to have taken a certain number of specified science courses. Students should also participate in activities that demonstrate their leadership abilities, empathy, and interpersonal skills.
Step 2: Attend Medical School
Aspiring sports medicine physicians must next earn a medical degree, either a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). Osteopathic programs place more emphasis on preventative care and the musculoskeletal system than medical doctor programs.
During the first two years of medical school, students take courses on the human body, patient care, and medical ethics. The next two years are spent in clinical rotations in a variety of settings, where students learn to care for and communicate with patients, record medical information, and collaborate with other physicians.
Step 3: Complete a Residency
Residencies are where the path for individuals pursuing a primary care sports medicine career and those pursuing an orthopedic surgery career will diverge. Aspiring primary care sports medicine doctors generally first complete a 3-year residency in family medicine. Other residency options are: internal medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, neuromusculoskeletal, and rehabilitation medicine. Aspiring orthopedic surgeons complete an orthopedic surgery residency.
Step 4: Pursue a Fellowship
Following their residencies, physicians pursuing a career in primary care sports medicine will complete a one- to two-year fellowship in sports medicine. During their fellowship, they learn more about sports injuries and work as team doctors for a local high school or college sports team. They also work within an orthopedic surgery setting and assist in some surgeries. Finally, they continue their training in their initial specialty, such as pediatrics or family medicine.
Individuals pursuing a career in orthopedic surgery can complete a one- to two-year surgical sports medicine fellowship, where they gain more experience in surgically treating sports injuries. Some fellowships train orthopedic surgeons in treating a variety of sports-related injuries. Other fellowships are focused on treating sports-related injuries to a particular joint, such as the shoulder.
Step 5: Earn Licensure and Certification
Both primary care sports medicine doctors and orthopedic surgeons must pass a national standardized licensing exam. Medical doctors must pass the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE). Osteopathic doctors must pass the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam (COMLEX-USA). These exams consist of three parts. The first two parts are taken during medical school. The final part is taken during the residency.
Primary care sports medicine doctors can earn the Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in Sports Medicine. In order to be eligible for the CAQ, candidates must have completed their Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-approved fellowship, hold a medical license, and have a certification in their residency specialty. Board certification programs must be approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).
Good luck!
Maxine recommends the following next steps:
Rachael Hewson
Athletic Trainer
16
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Rachael’s Answer
To get into Sports Medicine, you need to decide which route you'd like to take. You can be a Physician who specializes in Sports Medicine, or you can be an Athletic Trainer. To become an Athletic Trainer it is now required for you to have a Masters Degree. You'll need to get a Bachelors degree, and its helpful to get that degree in a related field like Kinesiology, Strength and Conditioning, Health Care Administration, etc. There are some programs where you can go to school for 5 years with 3 years being the Bachelors, and then 2 years being the Masters in Athletic Training.
Visit the CAATE website (https://caate.net/Students) which has resources for prospective students on how to find an accredited program, and which route is best for you.
Visit the CAATE website (https://caate.net/Students) which has resources for prospective students on how to find an accredited program, and which route is best for you.