Cross-Specialty · Fellowship Career
Sports Medicine
Musculoskeletal and exercise-related care, athlete health and return-to-play decisions.
Fellowship Length
1 year
After a qualifying residency
Prior Residency
Multiple Eligible Routes
Family Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R), Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine
Typical Post-MD Training
Varies
Depends on the eligible residency path
Attending Compensation
$295,406
Estimated Base Salary
Training Pathway
Medical School → Residency → Fellowship
Clinical Work and Procedures
- Ultrasound-guided joint evaluation
- Concussion assessment
- Exercise prescription
- Injury rehabilitation and return-to-play
Attending Compensation
$295,406
Estimated Base Salary
Schedules and Practice Settings
Sports medicine clinics, athletic events, team coverage and rehabilitation coordination; seasonal event coverage varies.
How to Prepare
During Medical School
Shadow both a team physician’s sideline coverage and a longitudinal MSK clinic.
Research or Quality Improvement
Build a concussion return-to-learn or overuse injury prevention project with athletic trainers.
During Residency
During an eligible residency, develop physical exam proficiency, event coverage experience and mentors in training and rehabilitation.
A Question to Ask Fellows
Would you enjoy chronic musculoskeletal follow-up and injury prevention as much as event-day care?
Sources & Data Notes
Reviewed . Fellowship durations and entry routes summarize commonly accredited training pathways. Specific institutions can have different eligibility, early-entry and combined tracks; check program and board requirements for your cycle.
Fellowship Match selection is separate from the medical school residency Match. No residency competitiveness index, MD versus DO residency outcome, or fellowship acceptance percentage is assigned to these pages. National attending compensation uses a source-matched specialty estimate when available; Doximity and Medscape report total compensation, Marit uses smaller opt-in physician samples, and Salary.com models base salary from employer and third-party data. These measures are not interchangeable. Fellowship stipends depend on PGY level and institution.
For Sports Medicine: Salary.com 2026, Estimated Base Salary for the reported “Physician - Sports Medicine” population. This is a national estimate, not a location-specific offer.
Schedules, example procedures, preparation tips and clinical roles are educational descriptions; responsibilities depend on training, practice setting and privileges. This is educational career guidance rather than individualized employment or training advice.