Does type of coverage matter- Division 1 vs Division 3?

[TellumSox]

In terms of weighing fellowships, does it matter if a fellowship covers division 1 vs division 3, for instance? I've heard conflicting things. For instance, I've heard that it's hard to cover division 1 football in your practice if you hadn't already done it already in your fellowship. At the same time, I know a lot of these things are dependent on contracts your hospital gets; in which case, it would seem that it doesn't really matter if you have high level coverage.

Maybe it's more the hands-on experience that counts than having "Major Division 1 School" on your resume for jobs?

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[Freezeout]

In my experience, you’ll get less hands on experience the higher the level of competition.

 

[TellumSox]

In my experience, you’ll get less hands on experience the higher the level of competition.

The question is whether the less hands on experience is worth the trade-off of having the high level on your resume (if your ultimate goal is division 1 or pro coverage)?

 

[galactus]

In reality it really doesn't matter.
For fellowships with a D1 team coverage, depending on the notoriety of the sport, the fellows may be present along side the attendings (ie football), but maybe for other sports like soccer or basketball, you maybe able to cover the games without an attending. I think the upside with D1 sports is that there are more teams to cover, so exposure to a lot of game coverage is there.
I also tend to agree that the higher level of competition, the less hands on experience the fellows get with the elite/pro athlete. I mean the fellow is present, but the attending is really the one treating the patient/athlete. That's why fellows have a HS team to cover right??

 

[septoplasty]

I think benefit of D1 is that you things are done much much differently at that level vs. others.

Schools in D1 generally have much more funding for athletics, as a result, much more available to their athletes, much better ATC's etc. and thus the environment sets you up to work in that sort of a place, vs. a "lesser" division.

I.e. working at a B10 school vs. a OVC team.

 

[TellumSox]

I think benefit of D1 is that you things are done much much differently at that level vs. others.

Schools in D1 generally have much more funding for athletics, as a result, much more available to their athletes, much better ATC's etc. and thus the environment sets you up to work in that sort of a place, vs. a "lesser" division.

I.e. working at a B10 school vs. a OVC team.

Appreciate the answer. Does it make it easier for you to cover at a similar big time school (i.e. another B10 or SEC school) once you've graduated? Or does it matter, resume-wise?

 

[galactus]

Appreciate the answer. Does it make it easier for you to cover at a similar big time school (i.e. another B10 or SEC school) once you've graduated? Or does it matter, resume-wise?

If you are boarded in SM, then it doesn't matter. When I interviewed for jobs after fellowship, it really didn't matter to them.
For D1 schools and the pro's, the reality is that team doctor coverage goes to the highest bidder. The hospital system/clinic pays the team/athletic department...not the other way around. This is why you see various health care system logos in the backdrop during those post game interviews. If you want to cover D1 or professional level after fellowship, you'd likely need to practice at a big health care system/academic.