Sports Medicine Physicians: Career Overview
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 Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of sports medicine physicians include:
- 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.
Top Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Sports Medicine Physicians Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- 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
Job Outlook
There are about 636,672 sports medicine physicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +2.7% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Sports Medicine Physicians
| 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 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation 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 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Sports Medicine Physicians
| 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 |
Which Industries Hire Sports Medicine Physicians
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:
Tech Stack
- 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
Daily working conditions for sports medicine physicians reflects 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), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
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 typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
3 programs across 2 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes 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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