Sports medicine is a multidisciplinary field that deals with preventing and treating injuries caused by athletic activities. Personal trainers, nutritionists, psychologists, physical therapists, and physicians can work in sports medicine.

These experts assist patients in their recovery from many issues, such as dislocations, sprains, and fractures. They also help with injuries that happen because of overuse, such as overtraining syndrome and tendonitis. 

Increased participation in sports around the world and the emphasis on preventive medicine have seen more people chasing careers in sports medicine. In this guide, you will see the different career paths in this field. You will also find out how to get a degree in sports medicine.

What Does Sports Medicine Entail?

Sports medicine is a field with an emphasis on preventive sicknesses in active people and healing injured people. As a practitioner, you may work with athletes by helping improve their physicality through strategic conditioning. You may also help regular people, such as teenagers and children with changing bodies and adults who have physically hard or demanding jobs.

Sports medicine experts also help create workout plans that take care of a client’s physical limitations and body.

Is Sports Medicine In Demand? 

It is expected that healthcare-related jobs will grow by about 15% over the next decade. Sports medicine careers are expected to be at the forefront. Aside from the high level of employability, experts in this field earn a lot compared to other healthcare experts. 

Some notable sports medicine jobs include athletic trainers, exercise physiologists, orthopedic nurses, and sports medicine nurses.

What Does It Take To Earn a Sports Medicine Degree?

Just as it is with other medical fields, the choice of career option will depend on the focus of your sports medicine degree. As experts in the field pursue academic training, they begin specializing in clinical practice, management, and research.

While some students spend over a decade completing formal education requirements to become physicians, surgeons, and other clinicians, you can technically begin a sports medicine career with just an undergraduate degree.

However, to become an orthopedic surgeon or physical therapist, you need to have the necessary doctorate before applying for certification.

What Is the Value Of a Career In Sports Medicine?

Due to its nature, sports medicine has different employment and academic prospects. If you don’t want a clinical career, you may work as a personal trainer, athletic coach, or postsecondary teacher. You may also work in a managerial or administrative role.

Concluding Thoughts

Now that you know what sports medicine is, you should consider pursuing a career in this field. The prospects in this field are enormous, and every student passionate about sports and health care should consider it.