How to match in sports medicine

AOSSM Presidential Address

Recommended Activities

American Medical Society of Sports Medicine (AMSSM):

• National primary care sports medicine organization
• Website:  www.amssm.org 
• Become a member as a resident
• Go to annual conference during second year (spring) or earlier

Away Rotation:

• At fellowship of interest
• At fellowship with known faculty within AMSSM (future letter of recommendation)
• Two-week rotation is enough
• If doing two-week rotations – do rotations at different fellowships
• Do rotations during: Spring of 2^nd year & Fall of 3^rd year
• See AMSSM website – has contact info and link to web pages for individual programs
• Each program has different policies regarding outside resident rotations
• Contact programs early – they fill up fast for outside resident rotators (priority given to internal residents for rotation time)

AMSSM Resident Scholarship:

• Apply, apply, apply
• Fellowship directors read the apps, will remember you when applying to their fellowship
• Apply for the award given the spring of your 2^nd year
• See AMSSM website for details of the application process

For Application:

• Submit by the end of August of 3^rd year
• See AMSSM website for details on what you will need for the application
• Work on CV spring of 2^nd year
• Work on personal statement spring of 2^nd year
• Letters of Rec – seek out Winter/Spring of 2^nd yr:
  • Faculty you rotated with
  • Local AMSSM member you shadowed
  • Residency program director/faculty advisor
• Rotations – away elective (see above)
• Shadowing:
  • Local sports med/AMSSM doctors
  • AMSSM website (www.amssm.org)
  • Talk to graduates of program who did SM fellowship
  • Go to AMSSM conference
• Event Coverage:
  • As much as possible - all events and any of particular interest
  • Keep a strict log of coverage
  • Cover all levels (i.e. high school, college, olympic programs)
• Residency Projects:
  • Create handbooks/syllabus/etc.
  • Give lectures
  • Help with curriculum
  • High school coverage
• Research:
  • A benefit but not a must: depends on the program you are applying to
  • Contact local AMSSM doctor to see if projects are ongoing/available
  • Search AMSSM website

Timeline of Events

Intern Year:

• Event coverage, event coverage, event coverage
• High school coverage
• Other volunteer positions – Take part in local conferences, talks, mass participation events, etc.
• Contact local AMSSM Docs, shadowing opportunities/events/research projects

Second Year:

• Set up away elective for Spring
• Event coverage, event coverage, event coverage
• Fall/Winter – AMSSM Resident Scholarship Application
• Spring – AMSSM conference
• Spring – Start on personal statement
• Spring – Start on letters of rec
• Spring – Start on CV

Third Year:

• August – application completed
• Summer/Fall – away elective/rotation (If you finish the application for the program before the time of rotation – potential opportunity to interview during the rotation)
• Interview –  end of Oct → beginning of Dec
• Rank list due – middle of Dec

Match Day!!!!! – beginning of Jan

Please visit the following links to learn more about matching into a primary care sports medicine fellowship: 

• Resident presentation on road map to a sports medicine fellowship (http://www.newamssm.org/AMSSMResidentPresentation2008.pdf)
• Document on How to Match in Primary Care Sports Medicine (http://www.newamssm.org/Residents-Students.html) 
• Resident and Student AMSSM Membership Applications (http://www.newamssm.org/Residents-Students.html)