How does one become a sports medicine doc?

MD, DO or DPM: There are several ways to be a sportsmedicine doc. Md or do then family practice or ortho residency and fellowship in sportsmed. Dpm with residency in surgery and fellowship in sportsmedicine. Dc and internship in sportsmedicine. It just depends on which tract brings you to the practice type you want.

Interest in athletes: And sports medicine is obviously key. Then 4 years of medical school and either orthopaedic surgery residency (5years) or family practice residency (3years) and then 1 year sports medicine fellowship. Ortho does surgery, family practice takes care of the whole athlete, non-surgical.

Fellowship: After medical school, can pursue a residency in orthopaedics (if interested in surgery), physical medicine ; rehabilitation, family medicine, internal medicine, or emergency medicine. Thereafter, subspecialize in sports medicine by completing a fellowship in sports medicine.

Many conditions: That is sports injuries are musculoskeletal injuries. Thus, many sports medicine studies centers upon those with a background in treating these problems such as orthopedic surgeons and the various subspecialties of knee and shoulder surgery or Hand surgery. The main thing is to be interested and then pursue that. Often it is an evolution rather than a proscribed curricula