By Brian Freeland
Academic Program Manager, Sports and Health Sciences
For every team that takes the field, there is a group of highly skilled career professionals who support that team in key roles, serving as coaches, trainers, managers and the like. Their roles are extremely vital to the success of a team as they prepare, heal, treat and help players perform at their potential.
Succeeding in this career field requires some of the same grit and determination that players are famous for. Years of hard work, long hours, travel, and low pay is what most successful sports professionals endure to build their careers, but it’s often the love of the game that continually motivates them along the path. If you have a deep passion for sports and a determination to turn this passion into a career, where might you start?
Consider Physical Therapy or Sports Medicine: A Growing Field
Physical therapists at their core provide vital services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities. The career paths for physical therapists are very bright. As the large baby-boomer generation ages, the next 40 years will be a high-growth period especially those who specialize in sports medicine, cardiopulmonary, geriatrics, neurology, and orthopedics.
It’s common to see a sports physical therapist operate a private practice out of a health club or a multidiscipline healthcare group, but most physical therapists work for hospitals or physical therapy centers. Others are employed by home health agencies, outpatient rehabilitation services, doctors’ offices, and long-term care facilities such as nursing homes. Some are self-employed, contracting their services to the same types of facilities but also seeing individual patients.
Physical therapist education programs start with basic science courses such as biology, chemistry, and physics and then introduce specialized courses, including biomechanics, neuroanatomy, human growth and development, manifestations of disease, examination techniques, and therapeutic procedures. Besides getting classroom and laboratory instruction, students receive supervised clinical experience.
Among the undergraduate courses that are useful when one applies to a physical therapist education program are anatomy, biology, chemistry, social science, mathematics, and physics. Before granting admission, many programs require volunteer experience in the physical therapy department of a hospital or clinic. For high school students, volunteering with the school athletic trainer is a good way to gain experience.
Sports Medicine is the field of medicine concerned with injuries resulting from personal athletic endeavors, and includes prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The goal is to maintain and maximize peak performance. Simply put, you have the ability to help people live a more vital and active life while making a good living at it.
The sports medicine field has grown in response to the importance placed on athletics by society, but this importance has been woven into many areas where quality of life issues are a concern.
Areas of specialized discipline in sports medicine :
- Clinical medicine
- Exercise physiology
- Orthopedics, kinesiology
- Physical therapy
- Athletic training
- Massage therapy
- Sports nutrition and psychology.
Other areas include athletic training, cardiac/pulmonary rehabilitation therapy, personal training and fitness instruction, nutritionist/sport dietetics, occupational therapy, podiatry, or the greater field of sports medical research.
A career as a sports medical professional requires a degree from an accredited educational institution, state certification, and state licensure. Ongoing education is typically required, along with minimums for hours of supervised practice, especially if you want to advance into more technical specialties. Sports medical degree program may include:
- Cardiac Rehabilitative Therapy
- Orthopedic Radiology
- Physiotherapeutic Techniques
- Chiropractic Applications
- Musculoskeletal Injuries
- Nutrition
- Genetics and Sports Related Injuries
Emerging Field of Exercise and Sports Science
Exercise and Sports Science is a growing discipline that holds multiple career opportunities. Exercise and Sports Science involves the study of physiological and functional adaptations to human motion and performance. Professionals who work in this field include: exercise physiologists, coaches, teachers, personal trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, fitness facility managers, corporate fitness managers, aerobics/group exercise instructors, biomechanics, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation specialists, and wellness directors in a hospital setting.
Careers in this discipline start with a formal education. Most colleges and universities provide specific curriculum and/or academic majors in the exercise sciences. Undergraduate programs are typically broad based and include general study in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, exercise physiology, and fitness programming. Graduate level programs typically provide systematic study in specific areas of exercise physiology with an emphasis on research.
There are many organizations that offer certifications in Exercise and Sports Science. You will want to determine which one best fits your needs and educational background. While a college degree is generally the most desired type of formal training and experience, some employers also require a certification documenting a specific foundation in exercise science knowledge, skills, and abilities
Learn more about careers in Sports Medicine and Exercise Science.
Education and Training
Now that you’ve decided that you want that career in sports medicine or as physical therapist, the next step is to obtain an education that not only serves as a foundation, but acts as a spring board to a successful career. But where do you start that education?
The Sports and Health Sciences undergraduate program at American Public University (APU) offers concentrations in Pre-Sports Medicine, Exercise Science, Coaching Studies, and Sports Management. Unique to this industry, courses are delivered online so you can participate in class from anywhere. Pre-Sports Medicine examines the medical and therapeutic aspects of sports participation and physical activity. Students studying pre-sports medicine will focus on diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of injuries that are caused by athletics and exercise.
This degree is often used as a base for students interested in continuing their studies and obtaining an advanced degree in Sports Medicine or Physical Therapy. Upon graduation, many students seek acceptance into Physical Therapy school which minimally requires a graduate degree for certification.
About the Author:
Brian Freeland is the Program Manager for the Sports and Health Science Degree Programs at American Public University System (APUS). Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Radford University and a master’s in sports management from the United States Sports Academy. For more information on starting your career, please visit APU’s sports management page.
Join 50,000 online classmates at American Public University, many of whom are studying to earn online bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Sports and Health Sciences and Sports Management.
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