5 Sports Medicine Degree Requirements

Aspiring sports medicine students and those who want to pursue a related sports medicine program like exercise science, kinesiology, etc. should gather here. The requirements for a sports medicine degree program and how to obtain the requirements are discussed in this article to help you prepare for your college application.

Sports medicine is a branch of medicine that deals with the treatment and prevention of injuries in athletes by understanding how the body reacts to exercise and movement. In the medical field, you have to complete an undergraduate program then go to med school and obtain your license to practice as a sports medicine physician.

There are colleges for sports medicine that are set up for the purpose of equipping you with the necessary skills and knowledge to become a sports medicine physician. To enter such a college or enroll in a sports medicine program offered by universities, there are certain requirements that you must meet and other documents you must have in your application.

Creating a strong college application is a big deal as it greatly determines your acceptance into that program. We all know that every college has its specific entry requirements as well as the programs offered and satisfying all of these requirements guarantees your acceptance into that program. A college application is used to assess students and facilitate their entry into college.

Sports medicine and its related programs are offered by different colleges around the world in undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as professional certifications. Now, it is impossible for me to discuss the specific sports medicine degree requirements of each of these colleges.

However, in the course of my research, I realized that there is just a slight difference in their requirements for sports medicine and that they mostly share most of these requirements. So, what I have discussed here is a general sports medicine degree requirement, it is now left to you to consult your host institution and get more info on specific requirements.

Before I get to move on, it’d be worth noting that we have other helpful articles concerning the topic like sports medicine undergraduate programs and how to obtain a sports medicine degree online that will guide you towards earning your sports medicine degree the way that is best for you.

Having said that, let’s get on with the requirements for a sports medicine degree.

sports medicine degree requirements

Sports Medicine Degree Requirements & How To Obtain Them

Here, I have discussed the requirements for sports medicine degree programs and how you can obtain them.

1.     High School Diploma or GED

This is a typical requirement across all colleges irrespective of the program you want to pursue and a sports medicine degree is no different. You must have completed high school or in your final years in high school before applying for a sports medicine degree program or any program for that matter.

A high school diploma is a qualification that you get when you complete high school and without it, you cannot apply for college. If you do not have a high school diploma, probably you dropped out of high school, you can either enroll for a free online high school diploma for adults to get an accredited high school diploma or take a free online GED class to prepare yourself for a GED test and obtain your GED.

With a GED or high school diploma, you can then begin your application for a sports medicine degree program.

2.     Take Standardized Tests

Standardized tests typically required for a sports medicine degree typically include SAT/ACT, GRE, MCAT, and TOEFL or IELTS, and in a moment, I’ll explain how they work.

SAT or ACT is for high school graduates, so, if you want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine or a related program you must take either the SAT or ACT and submit scores. Now, where requirements vary across schools is in the score. Scores for the SAT or ACT exams vary across institutions, contact your host institution to know the required score for a sports medicine degree.

GRE is an assessment test for graduate students applying for either a master’s or doctorate sports medicine degree program. Although some colleges make the GRE optional while others may not even require for it at all. But if it is required you must take the exam and pass the average score as required by the program or you can apply for a waiver if you qualify.

The GRE requirement is not for the actual sports medicine rather it is for related programs like Kinesiology and Exercise Science.

If you want to go for the actual sports medicine in the US and not one of its related programs, then you must take the Medical College Admissions Test or MCAT. It is a standardized test in the US for aspiring medical students. There are also other standardized tests for medical students in other countries.

A TOEFL or IELTS is an English language proficiency test for international students whose first language is not English. International students applying for either an undergraduate or graduate degree in sports medicine program and English is not their native language, must take the TOEFL or IELTS and pass the average mark as required by the program.

3.     Academic Transcripts

Whether you are applying for an undergraduate or graduate sports medicine degree program, applicants are required to submit academic transcripts. A transcript is a file containing data on your academic records from high school to your current academic qualification.

So, if you are applying for an undergraduate sports medicine program you will submit high school transcripts and if it is a graduate program, you will submit your transcripts from high school to your bachelor’s.

 I’m sure you already know that you must have completed a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine or a related program to be eligible to apply for a graduate sports medicine program. Just as you must have completed high school to be eligible to apply for an undergraduate sports medicine program.

You can obtain your academic transcripts simply by sending an email to your former schools requesting your transcript or going there in person and request for it.

4.     Work Experience

Remember where I mentioned something about creating a strong application? You must be wondering what I meant there, you’ll get a better understanding of it here.

Work experience is one of the requirements for sports medicine degree programs, especially at the graduate level but at the undergraduate level, it is rarely required. If you are applying for an undergraduate sports medicine program, I’d advise that you get some work experience or practical experience. This will help make your college application stand out among others and there is a greater chance you will be accepted into the program.

Colleges prefer accepting students with some work or practical experience into their programs, with this, your application will be considered more esteemed above the others who do not have work experience. To get this work or practical experience, you can apply to health & fitness centers and work with a licensed sports medicine physician or professional fitness coach. You can work as an assistant or in an entry-level role.

5.     Recommendation Letter

A recommendation letter is one of the sports medicine degree requirements and the number required, maybe 2 or 3, vary by college. This letter is required both for undergraduate and graduate programs. To get it, contact your former employers, teachers, lecturers, or professors you have worked with in the past to write you one.

A recommendation letter gives your host institution the to learn more about you pertaining to what other people you have a closer relationship with feel about you. It is used to assess your admission into a program.

These are the general requirements for a sports medicine degree, you’ll have to contact your host institution to get specific program requirements.

To become a sports medicine doctor in the US, you must have completed and earned a bachelor’s degree in fields such as biology, chemistry, or exercise science. Take the MCAT, attend a medical school and complete a residency then pursue a fellowship and earn your licensure and certification.

How long does it take to become a sports medicine physician?

It takes between 6-7 years to become a fully-fledged sports medicine physician.

Do sports medicine physicians go to medical school?

Yes, sports medicine physicians go to medical school.

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