Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners

How to become a Sports Medicine Physician

Official title: Sports Medicine Physicians

Also called: Athletic Team Physician, MD (Medical Doctor), Nonsurgical Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician, Orthopedic Team Physician, Pediatric Sports Medicine Physician, Physician, Sports Medicine Medical Doctor (Sports Medicine MD), Sports Medicine Primary Care Physician, Sports Medicine Specialist, Team Physician

Diagnose, treat, and help prevent injuries that occur during sporting events, athletic training, and physical activities.

Main tasks

Diagnose or treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Order and interpret the results of laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging procedures.
Record athletes' medical histories, and perform physical examinations.
Refer athletes for specialized consultation, physical therapy, or diagnostic testing.
Provide education and counseling on illness and injury prevention.
Advise against injured athletes returning to games or competition if resuming activity could lead to further injury.
Examine, evaluate and treat athletes who have been injured or who have medical problems such as exercise-induced asthma.
Record athletes' medical care information, and maintain medical records.

How to become one

Physicians and surgeons typically need a bachelor's degree as well as a medical degree, which takes an additional 4 years to complete. Depending on their specialty, they also need 3 to 9 years in internship and residency programs. Subspecialization includes additional training in a fellowship of 1 to 3 years.

Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Medicine & Dentistry degrees, Offered by 23 universities in the US
Licence: A licence is required in 47 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $265,930 a year The middle half earn $102,930 to $378,770.
About 367,400 people work in this job now, and about 380,100 are projected by 2035. (+3.4%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Sports Medicine Physician?

How much does a Sports Medicine Physician earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $265,930 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $102,930 to $378,770.

Is a Sports Medicine Physician a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 367,400 to about 380,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Sports Medicine Physician?

Usually. 100% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Sports Medicine Physician?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.