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Sports Medicine Physicians

It's a bright outlook for

This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Learn more about what they do.

Diagnose, treat, and help prevent injuries that occur during sporting events, athletic training, and physical activities.

Related: Emergency Medicine Physicians General Internal Medicine Physicians Orthopedic Surgeons Pediatric Surgeons Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physicians

Industries: Health & Counseling Government

Summary
Details

Record athletes' medical histories, and perform physical examinations.
Examine, evaluate and treat athletes who have been injured or who have medical problems such as exercise-induced asthma.
Refer athletes for specialized consultation, physical therapy, or diagnostic testing.
Diagnose or treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Provide education and counseling on illness and injury prevention.
Develop and prescribe exercise programs, such as off-season conditioning regimens.
Diagnose or treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Inform coaches, trainers, or other interested parties regarding the medical conditions of athletes.
Inform athletes about nutrition, hydration, dietary supplements, or uses and possible consequences of medication.
Prescribe orthotics, prosthetics, and adaptive equipment.
Record athletes' medical care information, and maintain medical records.
Prescribe medications for the treatment of athletic-related injuries.
Develop and test procedures for dealing with emergencies during practices or competitions.
Advise athletes on ways that substances, such as herbal remedies, could affect drug testing results.
Record athletes' medical histories, and perform physical examinations.
Examine and evaluate athletes prior to participation in sports activities to determine level of physical fitness or predisposition to injuries.
Select and prepare medical equipment or medications to be taken to athletic competition sites.
Evaluate and manage chronic pain conditions.
Advise coaches, trainers, or physical therapists on the proper use of exercises and other therapeutic techniques, and alert them to potentially dangerous practices.
Order and interpret the results of laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging procedures.
Examine, evaluate and treat athletes who have been injured or who have medical problems such as exercise-induced asthma.
Provide coaches and therapists with assistance in selecting and fitting protective equipment.
Participate in continuing education activities to improve and maintain knowledge and skills.
Advise athletes, trainers, or coaches to alter or cease sports practices that are potentially harmful.
Observe and evaluate athletes' mental well-being.
Examine, evaluate and treat athletes who have been injured or who have medical problems such as exercise-induced asthma.
Select and prepare medical equipment or medications to be taken to athletic competition sites.
Coordinate sports care activities with other experts, including specialty physicians and surgeons, athletic trainers, physical therapists, or coaches.
Conduct research in the prevention or treatment of injuries or medical conditions related to sports and exercise.
Order and interpret the results of laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging procedures.
Examine and evaluate athletes prior to participation in sports activities to determine level of physical fitness or predisposition to injuries.
Select and prepare medical equipment or medications to be taken to athletic competition sites.
Evaluate and manage chronic pain conditions.
Develop and prescribe exercise programs, such as off-season conditioning regimens.

Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Troubleshooting
- Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.
Management of Personnel Resources
- Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Negotiation
- Bringing people together to solve differences.
Instructing
- Teaching people how to do something.
Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Operations Analysis
- Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Management of Financial Resources
- Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Science
- Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Systems Analysis
- Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Mathematics
- Using math to solve problems.
Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Equipment Selection
- Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Quality Control Analysis
- Testing how well a product or service works.
Operation and Control
- Using equipment or systems.
Systems Evaluation
- Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Learning Strategies
- Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Persuasion
- Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Management of Material Resources
- Managing equipment and materials.
Equipment Maintenance
- Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Speaking
- Talking to others.
Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
Programming
- Writing computer programs.
Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
Technology Design
- Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

Manual Dexterity
- Holding or moving items with your hands.
Gross Body Equilibrium
- Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Hearing Sensitivity
- Telling the difference between sounds.
Number Facility
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Glare Sensitivity
- Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Time Sharing
- Doing two or more things at the same time.
Spatial Orientation
- Knowing where things are around you.
Response Orientation
- Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Speech Clarity
- Speaking clearly.
Information Ordering
- Ordering or arranging things.
Rate Control
- Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Far Vision
- Seeing details that are far away.
Speech Recognition
- Recognizing spoken words.
Reaction Time
- Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Auditory Attention
- Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Static Strength
- Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Written Comprehension
- Reading and understanding what is written.
Near Vision
- Seeing details up close.
Category Flexibility
- Grouping things in different ways.
Oral Expression
- Communicating by speaking.
Problem Sensitivity
- Noticing when problems happen.
Night Vision
- Seeing at night or under low light.
Peripheral Vision
- Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Speed of Limb Movement
- Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Deductive Reasoning
- Using rules to solve problems.
Gross Body Coordination
- Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Originality
- Creating new and original ideas.
Dynamic Strength
- Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Explosive Strength
- Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Fluency of Ideas
- Coming up with lots of ideas.
Finger Dexterity
- Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Perceptual Speed
- Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Trunk Strength
- Using your lower back and stomach.
Written Expression
- Communicating by writing.
Sound Localization
- Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Visualization
- Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Selective Attention
- Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Inductive Reasoning
- Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Multilimb Coordination
- Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Wrist-Finger Speed
- Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Flexibility of Closure
- Seeing hidden patterns.
Extent Flexibility
- Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Memorization
- Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Control Precision
- Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Visual Color Discrimination
- Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Stamina
- Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Dynamic Flexibility
- Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Speed of Closure
- Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Depth Perception
- Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Oral Comprehension
- Listening and understanding what people say.
Mathematical Reasoning
- Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

Psychology
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Sales and Marketing
- Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Medicine and Dentistry
- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Food Production
- Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Chemistry
- Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Administrative
- Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Transportation
- Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Building and Construction
- Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Communications and Media
- Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Public Safety and Security
- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Mechanical
- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Fine Arts
- Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Philosophy and Theology
- Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Therapy and Counseling
- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Sociology and Anthropology
- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Physics
- Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Biology
- Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Economics and Accounting
- Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Law and Government
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Engineering and Technology
- Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Geography
- Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Telecommunications
- Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Foreign Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
History and Archeology
- Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

Education

Doctoral or professional degree

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

Internship/residency

Education and Training Opportunities

Washington Annual Salary

208,000+/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

100+/hr

Currently Employed

350,100

Yearly Projected Openings

9500

Investigative: People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out. They do well at jobs that need:

Integrity
Concern for Others
Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cooperation
Initiative

Body composition analyzers
Canes
Crutches
Desktop computers
Diathermy units
Electrocardiography EKG units
Electrotherapy combination units
Full body immersion hydrotherapy baths or tanks
Gamma bone densitometers
Goniometers or arthrometers
Inclinometers
Knee therapeutic brace or support
Medical acoustic stethoscopes
Medical dynamometers
Medical magnetic resonance imaging MRI stationary units
Medical ultrasound or doppler or pulse echocardiograph or echocardiograph units for general diagnostic use
Medical x ray units for general diagnostic use
Mobile medical services automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddles
Muscle stimulator lead sets
Notebook computers
Orthopedic splint systems
Orthotics or foot care products
Parallel bars for rehabilitation or therapy
Peak flowmeters
Pedal exercisers for rehabilitation or therapy
Physiological recorders
Post operative shoes
Pulse oximeter units
Reflex hammers or mallets
Resistive exercise bands or putty or tubing for rehabilitation or therapy
Spirometers
Tablet computers
Therapeutic balls
Therapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packs
Training stairs for rehabilitation or therapy
Treadmill exercisers for rehabilitation or therapy
Ultrasonic therapy apparatus or supplies
Weights or sets for rehabilitation or therapy