Sports participation is an important part of the culture of many Mississippians. The optimal care for those people, especially children, requires the expertise of specialty trained physicians. Musculoskeletal injuries are only a part of the care of athletes. Sudden death, heat exhaustion, asthma, concussions, steroid use and many other medical issues affect those involved.
This one year post-doctoral fellowship, which is fully accredited by the ACGME, is offered to physicians who have successfully completed residency training in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, or physical medicine and rehabilitation. The fellowship program is a PGY4 position in the department of family medicine and works closely with the department of orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation to provide a broad experience in sports medicine.
Unique Post-doctoral Position for the State of Mississippi
The primary care sports medicine fellowship offers a unique post-doctoral educational opportunity for physicians trained in primary care specialties. Our program is the only primary care fellowship in sports medicine offered in the state of Mississippi. Our program is one of approximately 120 such programs in the United States. Our program accepts one fellow each year. The fellowship is 12 months in length and begins on August 1 of each year.
Sports Medicine Physicians Trained in Mississippi
There are highly qualified primary care physicians who finish residency training in Family Medicine, Pediatrics, or Internal Medicine who desire to have certification in Sports Medicine. Having a Sports Medicine fellowship in our institution enables physicians with interest in primary care sports medicine to remain in Mississippi for this training. In addition, physicians from programs over the entire U.S. are encouraged to apply for the position offered each year.
Applying for the Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship
Since our program participates in the sports medicine match program through NRMP, interested candidates must register for the match in the fall of the last year of residency training. Physicians who have completed a primary care residency program and are board certified are also eligible to apply for the program. The application of the fellowship is available through the American Society of Sports Medicine web site at www.newamssm.org. An application can also be obtained by contacting Angela Powell at 601 984-5425. Applications are accepted from September 1 to December 1 of each year. Interviews are offered in November and December. The match date for the sports medicine fellowship is usually in January.
University of Mississippi Medical Center
The University Medical Center provides an academic setting for the fellowship program. The availability of expertise in all areas of medicine and surgery provide ample support for any injury or illness one may encounter in sports medicine. The sports medicine fellow will function primarily in the department of orthopedic surgery clinics three days each week and in his or her area of specialty one day per week. One day each week is dedicated to didactic and self-directed learning and Belhaven College training room and student heath service experience. The fellow will not have call responsibilities with other residents. However, the fellow will be available for event coverage most nights of the week. The fellow will be limited to less than 80 hours per week with one day of each week without fellowship responsibilities. Upon successful completion of the program the fellow will be eligible to sit for the CAQ examination in Sports Medicine through the American Board of Family Physicians. The salary offered for the fellowship is the PGY4 salary of the University of Mississippi Medical Center and includes all the benefits thereof. Two weeks of personal time and time off for the annual meeting of the American Society of Sports Medicine is provided.
High School and Health Care Disparities
Sports Medicine fellows will provide care to student athletes in inner city schools in Jackson. University Sports Medicine has made a commitment to have a presence at Lanier and Provine high schools by assigning an ATC to each school. We also provide sports medicine coverage for Canton High School and several other schools in the surrounding area. The fellow will be assigned to cover games for these schools frequently throughout the year. We have developed health education workshops in these two schools. The fellow will be on-site in these schools once a week throughout the year providing medical care, education and inspiration to aspiring young people for health care careers. Fellows will also have teaching responsibilities for students and residents who are rotating on sports medicine.
College Athletics and Student Health
The Sports Medicine fellow will experience caring for collegiate athletes primarily at Belhaven College. Belhaven College has > 350 athletes in competitive sports and an internationally acclaimed dance program. Sports include football, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, tennis, golf, and cross-country running. Additionally, the Sports Medicine fellow will staff the student health center at Belhaven College one day of each week throughout the school year. Inter-institutional interaction between the University and Belhaven College provide a healthy academic environment for learning and opportunities for research.
Professional Sports and Community Events
Sports Medicine fellows will be involved in the care of local professional sports (Mississippi Braves,) and major sports events (Dixie National Rodeo, Viking Classic PGA tour) in the Jackson area.
Rural Health Care - Canton
Sports Medicine fellows will be seeing clinic patients in the Madison Specialty Clinic in Canton providing consulting service for orthopedic and sports medicine care for rural Mississippi.
Further information and inquiries can be directed to the director of the fellowship program.
Steve A. Watts MD
Director of Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship
Associate Professor
Department of Family Medicine
Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation
University of Mississippi Medical School
sawatts@familymed.umsmed.edu
601 815-5564