how do you become a physician for a professional sports team?

[BrainDrain]

This would be an amazing job! I imagine you would travel with the team and treat injuries like fractures, muscle strains, concussions, etc.

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[Dr. Wall$treet]

its called connections! The road is to start out with minor league teams, high school, jr, colleges, minor leagues blah blah, small time teams, and then u meet people, or get lucky etc and that is how you make it to bigtime teams. really tough to do. but that is what i want to do so hey im with ya just takes some luck

 

[JScrusader]

Its a bad idea these days. I was talking with an ortho guy who is the hand surgeon for the Tampa Bay Bucs and he was saying the athletes are starting to file malpractice suits against the team docs if their career suffers or if it is ended. He also said that Dr. Andrews, the ortho guru, charges athletes 10% of their salary for him to operate on them. I thought that was funny. If you think about it, reimbursment would be essentially workman's comp, which isn't known for being on the high side. But I agree, sports medicine would be fun and interesting. And you get the chicks like the guy in Any Given Sunday.

 

[Polar girl]

I actually saw an article on team doctors recently. It seems that most teams now take the doctor that will pay them the most. A lot of doctors and/or hospitals are paying a lot to get the prestige they feel comes with being a team doctor.

 

[delayofgame]

ok, partner, here's the thing about a team doc. its not as glamourous as it sounds. dont forget ur workin w/ huuuuggge egos & players may consider u just a cog in the wheel or worse, a glorified Athletic trainer, even though u can scribe drugs, do surg, etc, They >>> the players, make millions more than the doc, expect him to listen to THEM not the OTHER way round, & basically are a royal , [or can be] pain in the butt!! but u knew this, i'm sure... I too thought of this, but the best of the best , dont get there, plus it mite not be as prolific as it sounds on paper. But if u want it , go for it, just realize that if spts med is ALL u seek in medicine, u may have to see other patients too. Everyone who has answered similar ques on team docs to me, says about the same thing, be ready to do other things, unless u get real lucky. I hope this doesnt discourage, cause when i first heard it i went flat, but i am realistic that i may need , to see other real people, not just jocks... hope this helps, best of luck....

 

[Darth Vader]

My school pays our local professional football team a good deal of money for the "privelage" of being their team doctors. I guess that it does make sense, you have a lot of sports fans who say "well if they are good enough for my favorite football team, they are good enough for me".

 

[villiarp]

First of all, there is nothing wrong with being an athletic trainer...they have a integral role in the success of sports teams, even more so than the docs. Secondly all athletes do not have an ego problem. More often than not they are willing to listen and take your directions. There are some that won't but it is the same way with your general patients.
I am a student athletic trainer and have had much success getting through to athletes. You just have to know how to talk to them since a lot of them do not have the expertise that you do. Your attitude and level of professionalism goes farther than the level of care you provide when gaining the trust of an athlete. And thats what athletics is all about, gaining their trust.
I can also back up everyone else saying that additional patients must be seen to supplement the athletes. Our team doctors see only about 20% athletes and the rest are general orthopeadic cases.
--There is nothing like being part of a winning team...and if you are in athletics long enough you will be part of one.

 

[applejuice1979]

Originally posted by BrainDrain
This would be an amazing job! I imagine you would travel with the team and treat injuries like fractures, muscle strains, concussions, etc.

Well said villiarp. BrainDrain are you still an undergrad? If you are a sophomore or junior you should look into becoming a student athletic trainer for one of your school's teams. You probably will be a volunteer, but this EC along with Anatomy/Physiology, and other clinical stuff should show your true interest in medicine. During medical school, you should make contact with the physicians that work with the athletic team of your choice at the respective undergraduate institution. From there, they can describe the path they took and make suggestions. If you are older than a junior, you could just find out who the team doctors are, e-mail or call & set up a lunch meeting to discuss your goals. Good luck!!!