What is a sports medicine physician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted Expert
John Colclough
The average sports medicine physician salary is $200,146. The most common degree is a doctoral degree degree with an medicine major. It usually takes 8-10 years of experience to become a sports medicine physician. Sports medicine physicians with a Emergency Medicine certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 7% and produce 55,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Sports Medicine Physician?

J

John Colclough

Professor, Marshall University

Be patient and stay informed. Many performers think their career is about the work in the rehearsal hall or in performance-not so, the real work is in the management of your business. Being an authority of WHO, WHAT and WHERE is key. WHO are the players in your market? The directors, actors, casting people, producing organizations, etc...these are who you need to know-your network. WHAT opportunities exist in your market? The theatres, video companies, universities (if you have an MFA you may be able to teach a class or two), Improvisation groups, any opportunity that allows you to grow your brand is worth your attention. And finally, WHERE are the opportunities-knowing your community and having a sense of how each company fits into the fabric of the community. Having a sense of where the company resides both geographically and virtually (web sites) and having a solid knowledge base of details of each company can inform your marketing tactics as well as provide you with specific details unique to each organization. Careers develop over time and keeping expectations realistic over the first year can be challenging. Be practical and methodical in your approach: save money (there's never enough), find a place to live (the best you can afford), find a side hustle (you're going to need money and routine), find out the lay of the land (WHO, WHAT, and WHERE), develop your skill set (take a class and meet colleagues), go to productions, screenings, workshops, document your growth (keep a journal or calendar to track your progress), celebrate your successes and be patient with your stumbles-Hard knocks are the best teachers!
ScoreSports Medicine PhysicianUS Average
Salary
10.0

Avg. Salary $200,146

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.16%

Asian 19.91%

Black or African American 3.79%

Hispanic or Latino 6.43%

Unknown 4.09%

White 65.62%

Gender

female 25.53%

male 74.47%

Age - 48
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
2.7

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a sports medicine physician

  1. Explore sports medicine physician education requirements

    Most common sports medicine physician degrees

    Doctorate

    34.3 %

    Bachelor's

    34.3 %

    Certificate

    22.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific sports medicine physician skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Sports Medicine35.79%
    Family Medicine20.33%
    Primary Care13.18%
    Family Practice8.53%
    EMR6.47%
  3. Complete relevant sports medicine physician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New sports medicine physicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a sports medicine physician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real sports medicine physician resumes.
  4. Research sports medicine physician duties and responsibilities

    • Assist with managing chronic illnesses including diabetes, hypertension, and CHF.
    • Provide overall quality prenatal health care, gynecological services, patient triage, refer patients with complications, provide patient education service
    • Assist with managing chronic illnesses including diabetes, hypertension, and CHF.
  5. Apply for sports medicine physician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a sports medicine physician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Sports Medicine Physician Job

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Average sports medicine physician salary

The average Sports Medicine Physician salary in the United States is $200,146 per year or $96 per hour. Sports medicine physician salaries range between $100,000 and $397,000 per year.

Average Sports Medicine Physician Salary
$200,146 Yearly
$96.22 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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