What is orthopaedic sports medicine?
Orthopaedic sports medicine is the investigation, preservation and restoration by medical, surgical, and rehabilitative means all structures of the musculoskeletal system that are affected by athletic activity. Orthopaedic sports medicine specialists have cognitive and psychomotor skills that make them proficient in the following areas:
1. Conditioning, training, and fitness as it relates to athletic performance.
2. Athletic performance and the impact of dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals, and nutrition on athletes’ short- and long-term health and performance.
3. Coordination of medical care within athletic team settings including other health care professionals, such as athletic trainers, physical therapists, and non-orthopaedic physicians.
4. On-the-field evaluation and management of sports medicine related illnesses and injuries with detailed knowledge of sports-specific musculoskeletal injuries and medical problems.
5. Soft tissue biomechanics, injury healing, and repair.
6. Treatment options, both surgical and non-surgical, as they relate to sports-specific injuries and competition.
7. Principles and techniques of rehabilitation that enable the athlete to return to competition as quickly and safely as possible.
8. Knowledge of athletic equipment and orthotic devices (braces, foot orthoses, etc.) and their use in prevention and management of athletic injuries.
Who can practice orthopaedic sports medicine?
Any ACGME residency trained orthopaedist can practice orthopaedic sports medicine. Their training specifically provides them with the core competencies to care for athletes’ musculoskeletal needs. Depending on their training, education, and experience, orthopaedists will have different levels of proficiency and comfort in caring for each of the areas that encompass orthopaedic sports medicine.
What does certification in orthopaedic sports medicine mean?
Certification means that an orthopaedist has achieved a level of proficiency in each of the areas comprising orthopaedic sports medicine as prescribed by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. Certification does not reflect an exclusive knowledge or skill pertaining to an anatomic region or given procedure within orthopaedics.
Why establish a certificate in orthopaedic sports medicine?
Sports medicine has been an identified component of orthopaedics for over 30 years, when AOSSM was founded. The body of knowledge and area of practice comprising orthopaedic sports medicine has been developed by the Society through its ongoing educational and research activities and documented in The American Journal of Sports Medicine as well as many other scholarly publications. Presently, there are 101 fellowship programs that offer specialized training in orthopaedic sports medicine to approximately 200 individuals annually. Programs offering this knowledge and skills and individuals pursuing this training should achieve a common, high standard of education. Without certification, there is no such formal standard.
Does AOSSM support subspecialty certification in orthopaedic sports medicine?
Yes. In October of 2000, the AOSSM Board established the following position and announced it to the membership and the broader orthopaedic community:
AOSSM actively and fully supports the establishment of subspecialty certification in orthopaedic sports medicine as the best means of achieving and maintaining a universally high standard of training in this area of orthopaedic practice.
Will subspecialty certification be required for AOSSM Membership?
No. The AOSSM does not require members to take the subspecialty certification for membership.
Will certification in orthopaedic sports medicine be divisive?
According to the latest AAOS Census data, 44% of all practicing orthopaedists claim a special interest in orthopaedic sports medicine. The Society recognizes that many of these individuals, including many of its own members, will not pursue certification. AOSSM believes the most credible and effective way to protect the rights and interests of these individuals as it relates to sports medicine will be to ensure that they can either remain or become full and active members of the Society or take advantage of the Society’s many educational and research programs.
AOSSM is committed to working within the orthopaedic community to advance the practice of orthopaedic sports medicine among all orthopaedic surgeons with an active interest – regardless of certification status. To help establish a clear, strong foundation for this position, the Society adopted the following policy in the fall of 2000:
AOSSM strongly supports the right and ability of all orthoapedists, regardless of post-graduate training and education, to provide sports medicine services in the team, clinical, and surgical settings. Certification cannot be used as a criterion for AOSSM membership or full participation in the Society.
In other words, subspecialty certification establishes educational standards, not standards in the practice of orthopaedic sports medicine.
Who will certify orthopaedic sports medicine specialists?
Certification will be offered by ABOS, as approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Certification will be achieved through a one-day written examination for those candidates who qualify to sit for the exam. More information is available at www.abos.org.
Who will be qualified to sit for orthopaedic sports medicine certification?
Candidates for certification must meet the Requirements for Certification, as outlined by the ABOS. For an initial 5-year period, any individual meeting the criteria may sit for the examination. After 5 years, all applicants must have completed training in an ACGME accredited orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship program.
When will the first orthopaedic sports medicine exam be offered?
The ABOS 2007-2008 Subspecialty Certificate in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Schedule:
August 2007
Applications are available online.
February 1, 2008
Deadline for submission of application, case list, required documents*, and $500 application and credentialing fee.
February 28, 2008
Late deadline for submission of application, case list, required documents*, $500 application and credentialing fee and $250 late fee.
April 2008
Credentials Committee meets to determine admissibilty of applicants to the exam. Candidates are mailed notification of admission.
May 2008
Deadline for submission of the $1,000 examination fee.
July 2008
Candidates are mailed their scheduling/admission permit. (This permit must also be presented at the examination.)
November 2008
Sports medicine subspecialty examination administered at Prometric Tecnology Centers nationwide.
TBD
Examinees are mailed examination results (the Board office does not release results by phone)
How can I prepare for the exam?
Each year the AOSSM launches a new version of the AOSSM Self Assessment and Board Review. The Self Assessment and Board Review
is a tool for testing knowledge in seven critical areas of sports medicine, for identifying strengths and weaknesses
in clinical and practice management issues and for reviewing diagnostic, surgical, and other therapeutic measures and
procedures used in sports medicine. The Self Assessment and Board Review is an optimal preparation for the
subspecialty examination and maintenance of certification given by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.
The Self Assessment and Board Review is available in both print and online format as well as a combination package of the online and paper version.
It features 125 comprehensive questions, images and answers along with citations and references. Participants can
complete questions at their own pace.
Completion of the Self Assessment and Board Review and an evaluation will earn up to 12 category 1 credits
toward the AMA Physician Recognition Award™.
For further information please visit the Self Assessment and Board Review
page.
In addition, AOSSM and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons are jointly sponsoring a comprehensive review
course in August of 2008. The course, titled AOSSM & AAOS Subspecialty Review Course in Orthopaedic Sports
Medicine, will be held in Chicago with additional pre-registration information available early in 2008.
Will orthopaedic surgeons need to be re-certified in both general orthopaedics and orthopaedic
sports medicine?
The ABOS is still deciding whether re-certification for sports medicine specialists will be similar to that of hand specialists, in which one re-certifying examination will suffice for both. A decision will be forthcoming. It is important to note, however, that initial subspecialty certification - whether for hand or for sports - does not qualify as re-certification in general orthopaedics.
Won’t certification encourage a proliferation of training programs?
Orthopaedic sports medicine is the largest area of specialty training in orthopaedics. As noted above, there are currently 101 fellowship programs that offer specialized training in orthopaedic sports medicine. Of these programs, 66 are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; 35 programs are not accredited. The lack of a common standard before now may actually have encouraged the growth in the number of these programs. A higher standard in establishing a training program will not encourage more institutions to establish a program and may even result in some programs closing if they cannot or do not want to fulfill the requirements. A listing of accredited orthopaedic sports medicine programs can be found at www.acgme.org/adspublic .
How do other sports medicine specialties view certification in orthopaedic sports medicine?
To be approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties, the ABOS application required the support of two thirds of the 24 member “primary” boards, including family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, and internal medicine. It is significant that each of these groups supported the ABOS application. As with all of medicine, sports medicine is not the domain of any one specialty, and the care of athletes is only enhanced when it includes the contributions of all medical professionals.
Will lack of certification increase my exposure to liability?
This is a concern that is often expressed, but it is yet to be documented by other specialties with certification in sports medicine. Conversely, we are not aware of any documentation that would suggest that certification will protect or decrease an orthopaedists’ exposure to liability. In general, liability and one’s exposure to it is not increased or diminished by training or certification but by deviation from an established practice standard.
When will further information be available?
ABOS administers, and the most recent information related to subspecialty certification in orthopaedic sports medicine related to 1) requirements, 2) 2007-2008 Schedule, 3) Rules and Procedures, 4) Application Instructions, 5) Simple Case Data Sheet and 6) Sports Scribe Instructions can be found at www.abos.org. In addition AOSSM will continue to keep its members informed of any developments through Sports Medicine Update and the Society’s Web site.
Return to the Subspecialty Certification page.
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