Sports Medicine

Many Wooster students have expressed an interest in Sports Medicine. This field warrants some explanation. There is not one degree that qualifies someone to practice in the area of sports medicine. Rather, it is a broad term that includes any area of medical practice that works with athletes. This can include physicians (usually either orthopedic surgeons or internal medicine) who have sports medicine certification, podiatrists, physical therapists, sports nutritionists and a wide range of other clinical professions. The uniqueness of the profession is the fact that patients have injuries or illnesses to an otherwise healthy body. There is also the psychological aspect dealing with very competitive athletes who don’t want to have to take time out of their sport to heal.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)