Cars are not the same, and athletic shoes vary quite a bit among sports doctors. The good news is that this creates a lot of variety; The bad news is that this can cause many problems when finding someone well-qualified to treat and prevent sports-related injuries.
You should first ask your doctor how long you should treat athletes. If you are looking for experience, this should be at least a few years, don’t expect someone with less than three years of experience to be beneficial. If you decide to use a doctor new to the field, remember that they must be affordable and willing to work closely with you.
It’s also wise to ask your doctor if he is currently the official team doctor for any teams in your area. If he says yes, ask which teams you can contact the coach for a reference. Remember, if the coach doesn’t give a positive reference, it’s still an excellent opportunity to get feedback. Find out why the doctor you’re considering doesn’t recommend them so you can gather as much information as possible.
Ask your prospective doctor if they are a member of specialty organizations like the American Academy of Osteopathic Sports Medicine. Acceptance of membership in these groups generally requires verification of credentials, which helps keep only the best doctors among the membership ranks.
You should ask if your doctor has attended specialized training courses. Some examples are the Medical Training Course of the American College of Sports Medicine and the course offered by the United States Olympic Committee. This isn’t necessarily bad if they haven’t been on special shows, but it’s worth noting for your sanity.
A fundamental question to ask yourself is what percentage of your practice is related to sports medicine. Unless the doctor is a sports medicine specialist, you should not expect to listen 100%; even if he is a specialist, he cannot have a 100% level. Most use as little as 30%
Ask the doctor if there are any specialties. For example, some doctors specialize in orthopedic surgery and other medical fields. When looking for a primary care sports medicine doctor, choosing a family practice doctor or an internist is often the best decision. You can get referrals to other doctors when you need them from the PCP of your choice.
Your final consideration should be to find a doctor willing to see you before completing any paperwork. This means they should be ready to do an interview, preferably so you can spend a few minutes talking to them to get to know them, their experiences, and their practice. Many doctors do this, especially pediatricians. Your sports doctor should also be willing to conduct an initial interview. Using this to your advantage means you can ask questions and see how comfortable you feel before you need their services.
Questions to ask when choosing your sports medicine doctor
Cars are not the same, and athletic shoes vary quite a bit among sports doctors. The good news is that this creates a lot of variety; The bad news is that this can cause many problems when finding someone well-qualified to treat and prevent sports-related injuries.
You should first ask your doctor how long you should treat athletes. If you are looking for experience, this should be at least a few years, don’t expect someone with less than three years of experience to be beneficial. If you decide to use a doctor new to the field, remember that they must be affordable and willing to work closely with you.
It’s also wise to ask your doctor if he is currently the official team doctor for any teams in your area. If he says yes, ask which teams you can contact the coach for a reference. Remember, if the coach doesn’t give a positive reference, it’s still an excellent opportunity to get feedback. Find out why the doctor you’re considering doesn’t recommend them so you can gather as much information as possible.
Ask your prospective doctor if they are a member of specialty organizations like the American Academy of Osteopathic Sports Medicine. Acceptance of membership in these groups generally requires verification of credentials, which helps keep only the best doctors among the membership ranks.
You should ask if your doctor has attended specialized training courses. Some examples are the Medical Training Course of the American College of Sports Medicine and the course offered by the United States Olympic Committee. This isn’t necessarily bad if they haven’t been on special shows, but it’s worth noting for your sanity.
A fundamental question to ask yourself is what percentage of your practice is related to sports medicine. Unless the doctor is a sports medicine specialist, you should not expect to listen 100%; even if he is a specialist, he cannot have a 100% level. Most use as little as 30%
Ask the doctor if there are any specialties. For example, some doctors specialize in orthopedic surgery and other medical fields. When looking for a primary care sports medicine doctor, choosing a family practice doctor or an internist is often the best decision. You can get referrals to other doctors when you need them from the PCP of your choice.
Your final consideration should be to find a doctor willing to see you before completing any paperwork. This means they should be ready to do an interview, preferably so you can spend a few minutes talking to them to get to know them, their experiences, and their practice. Many doctors do this, especially pediatricians. Your sports doctor should also be willing to conduct an initial interview. Using this to your advantage means you can ask questions and see how comfortable you feel before you need their services.