how does one become a team doctor of professional sports teams?

[chef]

1 thing I always wondered as a child was how does one (being an MD) become a team doctor for a famous sports team like the NY Yankees, and get to interact with the players, travel with them, all the while treating these athletes. Now that I love golf, it'd be super cool to take care of PGA pros like Ernie Els and Tiger Woods.. hehe <img border="0" alt="[Lovey]" title="" src="graemlins/lovey.gif" />

what kinda specialty would allow u to do this? I'm sure these docs make a great livign, i mean the team owner should at least pay the doc half of what he's paying the athletes (millions$$$) to make sure the athlete is a good investment long term and won't get injured right???

*chef daydreaming in front of the computer*

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[bubster9]

They're usually orthopods, some teams also have an Internist

 

[oldman]

perhaps sports medicine?

 

[oldman]

Generally a physician has to stick by their ethics. They want to give the best treatment possible to a patient. In the case of team doctors, do you think there is incentive to keep the player on the field despite an injury? Do you think they would sacrifice the player's future health for the sake of winning a championship? I bet there is a lot of pressure to just ice it, tape it, and play it. I'm not sure I'd like to feel that kind of pressure. I'd rather be able to make decisions over the pressure of owners or fans to play someone who needs time to heal.

•••quote:•••Originally posted by chef:
•1 thing I always wondered as a child was how does one (being an MD) become a team doctor for a famous sports team like the NY Yankees, and get to interact with the players, travel with them, all the while treating these athletes. Now that I love golf, it'd be super cool to take care of PGA pros like Ernie Els and Tiger Woods.. hehe <img border="0" alt="[Lovey]" title="" src="graemlins/lovey.gif" />

what kinda specialty would allow u to do this? I'm sure these docs make a great livign, i mean the team owner should at least pay the doc half of what he's paying the athletes (millions$$$) to make sure the athlete is a good investment long term and won't get injured right???

*chef daydreaming in front of the computer*•••••

 

[Bevo]

not sure, but Id love to be the Spurs team doctor!

 

[vixen]

I remember "Any given Sunday", showed how the 2 team docs disagreed with ethics...I thought that was very interesting.

 

[hosskp1]

Regardless of how good a doctor you are, you will probably need connections. An orthopedic residency with a sports medicine fellowship will definitely help. I think almost all of these Doctors also have another job- private practice, academics, or something like that.

 

[edmadison]

I'm pretty sure the Yankees Team doctor Stuart Hershon is an Orthopod

Ed

 

[coop]

some teams have physiatrists (PM&R docs), also family practice with a sports med fellowship. but yes, most are orthopedic surgeons.

i know both the docs for ucla's teams, one is the chief of the orthopedic surgery dept and the other is a family practice doc with a sports med fellowship (he's also my dad's primary physician).

 

[Dr. Will]

Do these team doctors get a championship ring too?

 

[oldman]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by simseema17:
•I remember "Any given Sunday", showed how the 2 team docs disagreed with ethics...I thought that was very interesting.•••••yeah, i remember that. i also remember seeing those guys in the locker room naked....i really wish i could forget that. darn director's edition.

 

[8deuce]

dr.will, yes the team docs also get a championship ring.
i know the team doc of a pro team and he also is the doc of a national champion college football team...hmmmm wonder what team is that!!!!!

any way most are orthopods and let me tell you that you have no idea how fantastic these docs are compensated.

no one here would believe me about the numbers and perks...

put it this way, through this doc i have met deion sanders, gary sheffield and warren sapp.
and i am a nobody in the med field (yet!)

there is more stress than perceived due to pressure of teams to get clearance for injured players and also for judgement of a prospective draft choice health status.

take care!

 

[Forensic Chick]

Hey Chef,

Two of my orthopedic surgeons were team doctors for major sports teams. One was the MD for the Warriors and Raiders and the other was the MD for the olympic ski team. You need connections to get positions like this - no question about it.

 

[pre-hawkdoc]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by You Think I'm Sexy:
•You need connections to get positions like this - no question about it.•••••Kinda like how Eric Heiden was the orthopaedic surgeon for the US Olympic speed skating team???

 

[Brian20]

guys

i went to a boxing match the other night. i used to box and i would love to get into the racket of being a ring side physician. you have a family practice and you moonlight for free ring side seats for boxing matches.

i just need to find out how to get involved. i would imagine you would need some connections. i think they are FP's but wouldnt it make more sense to have a neurologist???

anyway, if anyone has a clue drop me a line.

later

 

[vixen]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by oldman:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by simseema17:
•I remember "Any given Sunday", showed how the 2 team docs disagreed with ethics...I thought that was very interesting.•••••yeah, i remember that. i also remember seeing those guys in the locker room naked....i really wish i could forget that. darn director's edition.•••••<img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> FINALLY! A taste of your own medicine for the males!!! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />

 

[brandonite]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by simseema17:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by oldman:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by simseema17:
•I remember "Any given Sunday", showed how the 2 team docs disagreed with ethics...I thought that was very interesting.•••••yeah, i remember that. i also remember seeing those guys in the locker room naked....i really wish i could forget that. darn director's edition.•••••<img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> FINALLY! A taste of your own medicine for the males!!! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> •••••Scarred me for a few weeks... :wink:

Male nudity = not cool... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

 

[Papa Smurf]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by brandonite:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by simseema17:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by oldman:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by simseema17:
•I remember "Any given Sunday", showed how the 2 team docs disagreed with ethics...I thought that was very interesting.•••••yeah, i remember that. i also remember seeing those guys in the locker room naked....i really wish i could forget that. darn director's edition.•••••<img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> FINALLY! A taste of your own medicine for the males!!! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> •••••Scarred me for a few weeks... :wink:

Male nudity = not cool... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> •••••I think it varies from guy to guy. Scoob and Trek rushed out and bought the DVD. I, on the other hand, am still recovering. :wink:

 

[JJ4]

Ernie and Tiger with hearts??? Chef... are you a girl?? Sorry to sound so naive -- I just always thought you were a male chef

 

[TSpoon]

Our local paper just ran a story on being a doc in the NBA. It said that the majority of the docs are Ortho. Surg. and that there are a few that that are general phys, but it isn't common. you can run a search at <a href="http://www.sltrib.com" target="_blank">http://www.sltrib.com</a>

Also, my friends uncle is the trainer for the Lakers (and also was with the bulls during the glory years) and it is definitely a "who-knows-who" situation, but he was also very proactive, ie volunteering, helping out at menial jobs, and just working a lot around the facility. Guess it paid off in the end (he did get rings, he now has 8).

 

[chef]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by JJ4:
•Ernie and Tiger with hearts??? Chef... are you a girl?? Sorry to sound so naive -- I just always thought you were a male chef •••••Heh - the hearts were there b/c I love golf so much and the thought of touring w the pros to the best golf courses aroudn the world (and playing with them on the practice rounds Tues-Weds) made me salivate... it's not that I'm in love w/ Tiger or Ernie!!! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> BTW u were correct I'm a boy! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />

 

[chef]

BTW, I always thought that these days, b/c of the multi-year billion dollar contracts the athletes have, the owners and managers are forced to never take a chance in playing athletes when they are vulnerable to injury. managers are always thinking long-term - think about it, why would they risk losing $10-50 million by losing a player for 2-3 yrs by playing him for 1 game??

I havent' seen that movie u guys are talkin about, but sounds like I should avoid the "directors cut"..