Sports Medicine Physicians: Job Description
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent injuries that occur during sporting events, athletic training, and physical activities.
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What Tasks Do Sports Medicine Physicians Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of sports medicine physicians span:
- Diagnose or treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
- Order and interpret the results of laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging procedures.
- Advise against injured athletes returning to games or competition if resuming activity could lead to further injury.
- Record athletes' medical care information, and maintain medical records.
- Record athletes' medical histories, and perform physical examinations.
- Examine and evaluate athletes prior to participation in sports activities to determine level of physical fitness or predisposition to injuries.
- Coordinate sports care activities with other experts, including specialty physicians and surgeons, athletic trainers, physical therapists, or coaches.
- Provide education and counseling on illness and injury prevention.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful sports medicine physicians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Athletic Team Physician
- Industrial Sports Medicine Professional
- Industrial Sports Medicine Specialist
- Nonsurgical Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician
- Orthopedic Team Physician
- Pediatric Sports Medicine Specialist
- Physician
- Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 636,672 sports medicine physicians working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +2.7% over the projection horizon.
Sports Medicine Physicians Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $115,792 |
| Hourly median | $55.67 |
| 10th percentile | $78,089 |
| 25th percentile | $96,941 |
| 75th percentile | $134,644 |
| 90th percentile | $153,495 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Sports Medicine Physicians Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $238,870 |
| New York | $237,710 |
| North Carolina | $236,970 |
| Utah | $232,740 |
| Delaware | $232,180 |
| Ohio | $231,300 |
| Rhode Island | $229,340 |
| West Virginia | $228,680 |
| Connecticut | $227,720 |
| Arizona | $223,680 |
| Illinois | $218,880 |
| Massachusetts | $216,170 |
| Puerto Rico | $211,700 |
| Maryland | $209,370 |
| California | $201,510 |
| Michigan | $197,950 |
| Pennsylvania | $163,100 |
| Kansas | $140,330 |
| District of Columbia | $74,650 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for sports medicine physicians shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other U.S. Territories | $211,700 | 0.3% | 0.45 |
| Middle Atlantic | $199,012 | 16.6% | 1.24 |
| Great Lakes | $183,977 | 20.6% | 1.57 |
| New England | $181,974 | 5.4% | 1.14 |
| Far Western US | $115,922 | 11.4% | 0.73 |
| Rocky Mountains | $108,612 | 2.4% | 0.71 |
| Southeast | $50,284 | 24.9% | 1.08 |
| Plains States | $35,517 | 5.4% | 0.91 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, NC | NC | $238,520 | 70 |
| Rochester, NY | NY | $237,660 | 420 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | TN | $236,970 | 160 |
| Odessa, TX | TX | $234,850 | 40 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | WA | $234,800 | 40 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | MI | $234,380 | 310 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | WV | $233,240 | 60 |
| Sandusky, OH | OH | $233,170 | 130 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of sports medicine physicians work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 258,240 | $235,660 |
| Educational Services | 10,850 | $72,170 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2,280 | $221,680 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,670 | n/a |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,330 | n/a |
| Finance and Insurance | 770 | $227,720 |
| Manufacturing | 220 | $88,370 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 200 | $136,060 |
Below are examples of industries where sports medicine physicians work:
Tools and Technology
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of sports medicine physicians tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Physical Proximity
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Contact With Others
Getting Started in This Career
The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Chiropractors (Primary-Long)
- Podiatrists (Primary-Long)
- Physical Therapists (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Long)
- Dermatologists (Supplemental)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for sports medicine physicians often complete programs in:
60 programs across 15 majors
- Combined Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Multiple-Pathway Medical Fellowship Programs
- Allergy and Immunology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Internal Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Orthopedic Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Osteopathic Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Otolaryngology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Pathology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Pediatrics Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Preventive Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Radiation Oncology Residency/Fellowship Programs
- Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
Health Professions and Related Programs
3 programs across 2 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1229.06 (Physicians, All Other).
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