5 Places Sports Medicine Physicians Can Work

The places sports medicine physicians can work are not limited to private and public hospitals alone. There is also a range of healthcare settings they can work in as well, keep reading to find out.

Before pursuing a career, there is so much research that you need to do concerning that career. If you don’t know what to research, this blog post will guide you.

Firstly, you need to check for the demand of that career and the annual salary that those in the position earn per year. You may also go over the board and check the highest qualification that brings the best opportunities in that career. Of course, you will also research the places you can work when you graduate.

You can also check for the future outlook of that career by looking at what the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has projected about it, looking up employees and employers in that field, and also seeing how much security the career comes with.

After you have completed all of this research and it satisfies you, then you can start seeking for colleges to apply for that program that interests you.

In this blog post, I have extensively discussed the places sports medicine physicians can work to offer clarity and clear any doubts that you may have. Knowing this information will help in your decision-making and determine your future whether to become a sports medicine physician or not.

Sports medicine physicians are medical practitioners that treat and prevent injuries mainly in athletes. To become one, you must graduate from an undergraduate science program, attend med school and complete your residency, then take the licensure examination to earn your license and certification to start practicing.

It takes 6-7 years to become a certified sports medicine physician and it takes this long because this is also a medical field and we all know how long and rigorous the process can be. There are also other fields within sports medicine that you can get into with just a bachelor’s degree such as exercise science and kinesiology and it takes 3 or 4 years to complete the program.

My previous work on undergraduate sports medicine programs and requirements for a sports medicine degree will best guide you in getting into a sports medicine college to get a bachelor’s degree. Although an undergraduate degree in a sports medicine program will only get you into entry-level roles, so, you may want to target a master’s or doctorate degree to attain higher roles and, of course, get better opportunities in the field.

If you have a passion for the medical field but cannot stand blood, sports medicine or physical therapy are two careers you should consider getting into. And as a sports medicine physician, you get to treat world-class athletes, that’s just one of the many perks that come with it. Let’s go ahead to see other benefits of getting involved in this profession.

Benefits Of Being A Sports Medicine Physician

If you have doubts to become a sports medicine physician, the following benefits may clear your doubts and change your mind.

1.     High Income

Sports medicine physicians are highly paid for their job. According to salary.com, sports medicine physician salary ranges from $214,302 to $319,351 with an average base salary of $251,069. In fact, one of the highest-paid doctors in the world, James Andrew, worth $100 million made his fortune treating many high-profile athletes.

With such a high salary, you can live a comfortable and financially secure lifestyle.

2.     Travel Opportunities

Now, if you don’t like to travel then maybe you should not consider being a sports medicine physician because the profession requires moving around a lot. This is because the physicians work with athletes and these athletes travel around for games and other competitions, and their physician has to go with them to administer treatment on them if required.

The travel opportunities that come with being a sports medicine physician also include you enjoying the beauty of the places you travel to, not just treating your clients.

3.     Potential Career Growth

According to Indeed, there is a demand for sports medicine specialists and trainers at numerous levels. This means that sports medicine physician is in high demand as there are few of them and if you understand the basics of economics then you know that things in high demand have a high value.

So, as a sports medicine physician, you are guaranteed of job security and high income.

4.     Elite Clients

This was one of the first perks I mentioned if you are a sports medicine physician. You get to treat and work with world-class athletes either in the professional or collegiate realm. This is quite exciting, I mean, you can just get an autograph whenever you want one.

5.     Prestige

There’s this reputation that those in the medical field tend to get from other people. Like, even if you just have a level of medical expertise there’s this prestige that you get from those around you. Now, combine this with sports, an industry with a high level of cultural interest.

This will attract more prestige to you as a sports medicine physician and since you work with directly with athletes, gaining access to a sports game will be super easy.

places sports medicine physicians can work

Places Sports Medicine Physicians Can Work

There is a wide range of careers in sports medicine such as athletic trainer, exercise physiologist, orthopedic nurse, physical therapist, and kinesiotherapy. Individuals in these professions can across a range of healthcare settings including private and public hospitals.

The places you can work as a sports medicine physician are:

  • Rehab Facilities
  • Private Practice
  • Sports Medicine Clinics
  • University or College
  • Sports Organizations

1.     Rehab Facilities

A rehab or rehabilitation facility is a healthcare institution that provides recovery and treatment care programs and services to individuals who sustain injuries or suffer from diseases. Some athletes with grave injuries are kept in rehab to get maximum treatment and closely monitor their recovery progress. The person that administers this treatment is no other than a sports medicine doctor.

Also, not only athletes are treated in rehab facilities. There may be a number of patients there who are recovering from nerve damage or torn ligament, sports medicine doctor can also treat them.

2.     Private Practice

This simply means setting up your own “shop” and becoming your own boss. If you are an entrepreneurial-driven person, you may decide to start your own private practice as a sports physician.

3.     Sports Medicine Clinics

Well, as the name already says, these are clinics where only sports-related injuries are treated, and as you may have guessed there are mostly sports medicine doctors here. Sports medicine clinics are one of the most popular choices in the workplace for sports medicine physicians.

Such clinics also include orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists who work hand in hand with sports medicine doctors.

4.     University or College

To become a sports medicine doctor, you will be trained by one and when you graduate from the program you can decide to give back to the community by teaching too. You can become a sports medicine doctor involved in teaching and doing research for new treatments for sports injuries.

The perk of this is that your research will be fully sponsored by the school.

5.     Sports Organizations

Sports medicine doctors are often employed by a sports team or athletic organization at professional, collegiate, or amateur levels to work as their athletic trainers and personal doctor. Their job is to monitor and recommend daily routine exercises to athletes and treat their injuries gotten from sports activities.

 What is the highest salary for a sports medicine physician?

The highest salary of a sports medicine physician is $319,351 per year

Where do sports medicine physicians get paid the most?

Sports medicine physician get paid the most in the US state of Alaska