Sports Medicine Careers
Healthful Vitality | 12/01/2021 | Sports Medicine Careers
Sports medicine is a fast-expanding field that focuses on the prevention and management of athletic injuries. Indeed, sports medicine healthcare professionals support physically active patients and other professional athletic teams to improve their movement and overall performance. They also work to prevent injury and illness and treat physical injuries.
The sports medicine field encompasses several different career paths, including athletic training, physical therapy, and kinesiology. Those interested in sports medicine may find a highly rewarding career in this field.
Career Outlook for Sports Medicine Field
The career outlook for different positions in sports medicine greatly varies based on qualification, experience, location, type of employer, and industry. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts the opportunities for employment of athletic trainers will likely increase by 19% from 2018 and 2028.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree can choose a career as an exercise physiologist in the field of sports medicine. These professionals can earn a median annual salary of $49,170, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports this profession to grow by 10% from 2018-2028. Other careers in this field, such as sports medicine physicians and physical therapists, need a doctoral degree and have much more earning potential.
Careers Opportunities in the Field of Sports Medicine
A degree in sports medicine and exercise science can prepare you for a number of careers, such as:
Orthopedic Surgeon
Of all careers, it is top on the list, which takes the most time as well commitment. You will first need an undergraduate degree, leading to M.D. and residency in Orthopedic Surgery to become an orthopedic surgeon.
The earning potential of an orthopedic surgeon is over $300,000 per year on average. The future of the field is also bright. Jobs for surgeons and physicians are expected to grow 7% between 2018 and 2028, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you are talented, motivated, intelligent, and can work under pressure situations, orthopedic surgery is a great career for you.
Sports Medicine Physician
If you are interested in preventing and treating sports injuries or other musculoskeletal injuries without any surgical interventions, then you may choose your career as a sports medicine physician. The pathway to becoming a sports medicine physician is almost similar to an orthopedic surgeon i.e. undergraduate degree that leads to an M.D. in Sports Medicine.
Kinesiotherapist/Exercise Physiologist
If you have the potential to develop specialized exercise plans and enjoy helping individuals achieve optimal fitness and health goals, you might choose a career in kinesiotherapy or exercise physiology. Kinesiotherapists usually design care plans to help patients manage chronic injuries and other long-term conditions. Along with classical exercise plans, they may use orthotics, aquatic therapy, or prosthetics if required. The BLS projects 10% growth in the field between 2018 and 2028. On average, a kinesiotherapist earns above $50,000 per year.
Orthopedic or Sports Medicine Nurse
If you have an interest in the field of sports medicine but you didn’t get a chance to work as a medical doctor, then working as a nurse in orthopedics or sports medicine is also a great option. Orthopedic or Sports Medicine nurses work alongside physicians to evaluate and manage injured patients. The BLS predicts 12% job growth in this field from 2018 to 2028. On average, registered nurses have an earning potential above $70,000 per year.
Physician Assistant
It is a great option to get into the sports medicine field. Physician assistants work under the supervision of a sports medicine physician and assist them to evaluate, diagnose, and managing sports injuries and illnesses.
This is a field that pays fairly well — the earning potential for a PA is above $100,000 per year on average. A growth of about 31% is estimated between 2019 and 2029.
Physical Therapist
Physical therapist is arguably one of the most important members of the sports medicine field. Sports medicine physicians and orthopedic surgeons frequently recommend physical therapy as a component of a rehabilitation regimen. Physical therapists take the patients through the rehabilitation and exercise regimens themselves. Physical therapists earn more than $90,000 per year on average. This is an extraordinarily rapid-expanding field, too — the BLS predicts a growth of 18% between 2019 and 2029.
Athletic Trainer
If you are interested to work as an athletic trainer, the good news is that the BLS estimates 16% growth in the field between 2019 and 2029. The average pay of an athletic trainer is just under $50,000, which is not the highest-paying job in the sports medicine field, but it is an option to enter the field without a master’s degree or doctorate.
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