Occupation · SOC 29-1229.06
Sports Medicine Physicians
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent injuries that occur during sporting events, athletic training, and physical activities.
Median wage
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Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
63 mapped
Core skills
Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningCritical ThinkingMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningWritingTime ManagementService OrientationInstructingSystems EvaluationLearning StrategiesCoordinationPersuasionSystems AnalysisScienceManagement of Personnel ResourcesNegotiationOperations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisOperation and ControlMathematicsTroubleshootingOperations AnalysisManagement of Material ResourcesTechnology DesignProgrammingManagement of Financial ResourcesEquipment SelectionRepairingInstallationEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Medicine and DentistryBiologyEnglish LanguageCustomer and Personal ServiceAdministration and ManagementEducation and TrainingPsychologyChemistrySales and MarketingPersonnel and Human ResourcesCommunications and MediaMathematicsComputers and ElectronicsTherapy and CounselingEconomics and AccountingPhysicsMechanicalLaw and GovernmentAdministrativeEngineering and TechnologySociology and AnthropologyPublic Safety and SecurityBuilding and ConstructionProduction and ProcessingDesignHistory and ArcheologyPhilosophy and TheologyFine ArtsTelecommunicationsForeign LanguageTransportationGeographyFood Production
Technology & tools
3D motion analysis softwareAllscripts PMAutomatic Data Processing AdvancedMD EHRBenchmark Systems Benchmark Clinical EHRBizmatics PrognoCIS EMRCareCloud CentralCerner PowerWorks Practice ManagementEmail softwareEpic Practice ManagementEpic SystemsGE Healthcare Centricity Practice SolutionGalacTek ECLIPSEGreenway Medical Technologies PrimeSUITEHealthFusion MediTouchIOS Health Systems Medios EHRKareo Practice ManagementMcKesson Practice PlusMeditab IMS Orthopedics/Sports MedicineMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft WordModernizing Medicine Practice ManagementNextGen Healthcare NextGen Practice ManagementOmniMD Sports Medicine EHRPracticeSuite Complete SuitePresagia SportsSpartaTracVitera Healthcare Solutions Vitera IntergyWRSHealth EMRWeb browser softwareathenahealth athenaCollectoreClinicalWorks EHR softwaresimplifyMD
Representative tasks
Assisting and Caring for OthersMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeGetting InformationCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesAnalyzing Data or InformationMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsDocumenting/Recording InformationTraining and Teaching OthersOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicProcessing InformationCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesThinking CreativelyCoaching and Developing OthersInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersWorking with ComputersScheduling Work and ActivitiesPerforming General Physical ActivitiesDeveloping and Building TeamsDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationHandling and Moving ObjectsEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsPerforming Administrative ActivitiesStaffing Organizational UnitsSelling or Influencing OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentControlling Machines and ProcessesOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Musculoskeletal history and physical examination findings — document accurately under attending physician supervision in a clinical sports medicine setting.Diagnostic imaging results and laboratory values — review and summarize with guidance from senior physicians during supervised rotations.Common musculoskeletal disorders — identify presenting signs and symptoms under direct supervision in a sports clinic or training room.Pre-participation physical examination protocols — administer to athletes following established institutional checklists under attending oversight.Electronic health record systems and medical software — enter athlete medical histories and visit notes accurately in a supervised clinical environment.Return-to-play criteria — apply established guidelines under direct supervision when evaluating injured athletes for clearance decisions.Injury prevention education materials — deliver scripted counseling to athletes under supervision in team or outpatient sports medicine settings.Interprofessional communication — participate in case discussions with athletic trainers, physical therapists, and coaches under faculty direction.Diagnostic reasoning processes — practice differential diagnosis construction under mentorship for straightforward musculoskeletal presentations.Medical literature and clinical guidelines — read and synthesize relevant sports medicine research under the direction of senior clinical staff.
developing
Musculoskeletal injuries and disorders — diagnose and initiate treatment plans with reduced oversight across routine presentations in a sports medicine clinic.Laboratory and diagnostic imaging orders — independently select appropriate studies and interpret results for athletes with common sports-related conditions.Athlete medical records — maintain comprehensive, accurate, and timely documentation using medical software in compliance with institutional standards.Pre-participation physical evaluations — conduct and interpret findings independently, identifying predispositions to injury across a broad athlete population.Return-to-play recommendations — formulate evidence-based decisions for injured athletes with familiar injury patterns, escalating complex cases to senior staff.Illness and injury prevention counseling — deliver individualized education to athletes and families in outpatient and sideline sports medicine environments.Care coordination — collaborate routinely with specialty physicians, surgeons, athletic trainers, and physical therapists to manage athlete care plans.Sideline and event coverage — manage acute sports injuries during competition with growing clinical confidence and appropriate triage decision-making.Clinical problem-solving — apply critical thinking to non-textbook presentations, selecting diagnostic and treatment pathways with minimal supervision.Time management across patient load — balance multiple athlete cases simultaneously within a structured sports medicine clinic or team physician role.
proficient
Complex musculoskeletal conditions — autonomously diagnose and manage across the full spectrum of sports-related pathology in high-performance and general athlete populations.Advanced diagnostic imaging and laboratory interpretation — integrate multimodal findings independently to guide nuanced treatment decisions for non-routine cases.Comprehensive return-to-play determinations — exercise authoritative clinical judgment to clear or restrict athletes from competition, weighing risk, recovery, and performance context.Complete athlete medical records and longitudinal histories — oversee documentation quality and continuity across a team or practice, leveraging electronic health record platforms.Pre-participation evaluation programs — design and execute systematic screening protocols for large athlete cohorts, identifying and managing elevated-risk individuals.Multidisciplinary care coordination — lead collaborative management plans involving specialty surgeons, rehabilitation professionals, sports psychologists, and coaching staff.Injury prevention and wellness programs — develop and deliver evidence-based educational curricula tailored to sport-specific injury risk profiles and athlete demographics.Non-routine and high-stakes clinical decisions — exercise independent judgment under time pressure in sideline emergencies, competitions, and complex clinic presentations.Systems evaluation and outcome monitoring — assess practice-level patterns in athlete injury and recovery data to refine clinical protocols and improve care quality.Mentorship of trainees — guide residents, fellows, and junior clinicians in sports medicine diagnostic reasoning and procedural skills within clinical training environments.
advanced
Sports medicine clinical strategy — set organizational direction for athlete health programs across a franchise, university system, or regional health network.Evidence-based practice standards — develop and institutionalize evidence-based protocols for musculoskeletal diagnosis, treatment, and return-to-play across an entire sports medicine program.Physician workforce development — design competency curricula and supervise residency and fellowship training programs in sports medicine at the institutional level.Cross-functional leadership — lead integrated teams of physicians, surgeons, athletic trainers, physical therapists, and administrators to optimize system-wide athlete care delivery.Organizational policy and risk management — author institutional policies on athlete medical clearance, injury reporting, and return-to-play that govern clinical and legal standards.Health system advocacy — represent sports medicine expertise to executive leadership, governing bodies, and professional leagues to influence resource allocation and care models.Research and knowledge generation — lead original clinical research programs that advance the sports medicine evidence base and inform national guidelines.Quality and performance improvement — evaluate and redesign care delivery systems using outcome metrics and analytical software to reduce injury rates and enhance athlete longevity.Strategic partnerships — establish and sustain relationships with specialty hospitals, academic medical centers, and sports organizations to expand and elevate sports medicine service lines.Public and athlete education at scale — design population-level injury prevention campaigns and educational initiatives targeting coaches, athletes, and communities across broad geographic regions.
Also known as
14 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Athletic Team PhysicianIndustrial Sports Medicine ProfessionalIndustrial Sports Medicine SpecialistNonsurgical Primary Care Sports Medicine PhysicianOrthopedic Team PhysicianPediatric Sports Medicine SpecialistPhysicianPrimary Care Sports Medicine PhysicianSports DoctorSports Medicine PhysicianSports Medicine Primary Care PhysicianSports Medicine SpecialistSports PhysicianTeam Physician