How to Choose a Sports Medicine Doctor

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Her degree will qualify the scope of her treatment.

Here is a list of the various types of degrees you will come across in your search for a sports medicine specialist:A medical doctor (M.D.) has graduated from medical school and done postgraduate training in a specialized area such as pediatrics or surgery. She may also be board certified, which means she has passed the rigorous requirements of a national medical specialty organization.An osteopathic doctor (D.O.) has attended osteopathic medical school and is fully licensed to prescribe medication and perform surgery if qualified with postgraduate education. Osteopathy emphasizes manipulative techniques to correct abnormalities thought to cause disease and inhibit recovery.A chiropractor (D.C.) has gone to a school of chiropractic medicine and is not licensed to prescribe medication or perform surgery. Chiropractic medicine is a system in which disease is considered the result of nerve dysfunction which can be corrected by manipulation of the spine.A podiatrist (D.P.M.) is a doctor who limits her practice to problems of the foot and leg.Exercise physiologists, psychologists and other Ph.D.s are not licensed to practice medicine.

What to ask

Since sports medicine is not a certified medical specialty, how can you tell if your physician is truly qualified as a sports medicine physician? After determining her degree, find out what specific training she has completed.

She may have completed a sports medicine fellowship. This type of one- or two-year training program is for physicians who have already completed an internship and residency in their chosen field (orthopedics, family practice, internal medicine, osteopathy etc.).

The next page has a list of questions you can ask to confirm her qualifications as a sports medicine specialist.

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About the authors: Carol L. Otis, M.D., is Chief Medical Advisor to the Sanex WTA and UCLA student health physician. Roger Goldingay is a former professional soccer player. They are married and the co-authors of The Athletic Woman's Survival Guide.

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