Sports Medicine Physicians
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent injuries that occur during sporting events, athletic training, and physical activities.
Also called: Athletic Team Physician, Industrial Sports Medicine Professional, Industrial Sports Medicine Specialist, MD (Medical Doctor), Nonsurgical Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician, Orthopedic Team Physician
Median pay
$265,930
Pay for the broader BLS group “Physicians, All Other”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$69,170 – $452,360
People employed
342,720
Whole BLS group
Holland code
ISR
Investigative · Social · Realistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 2.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 3.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 4.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 5.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
The hard parts
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
- Tight deadlines are common
- Exposure to disease or infection
Sports Medicine Physicians pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (49 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Physicians, All Other”.
What sports medicine physicians do
- 01Diagnose or treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
- 02Order and interpret the results of laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging procedures.
- 03Record athletes' medical histories, and perform physical examinations.
- 04Refer athletes for specialized consultation, physical therapy, or diagnostic testing.
- 05Provide education and counseling on illness and injury prevention.
- 06Advise against injured athletes returning to games or competition if resuming activity could lead to further injury.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Biology
- English Language
- Therapy and Counseling
- Psychology
Work styles that stand out
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Cooperation
- Achievement Orientation
- Social Orientation
- Self-Control
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: none or short demonstration.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from sports medicine physicians
- Athletic Trainers90% · —
- Midwives81% · group pay
- Genetic Counselors77% · —
- Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary77% · —
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary76% · —
Majors that lead here
- Medicine
- Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy
- Pain Management
- Combined Medical Residency/Fellowship Program, General
- Family Medicine/Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine Combined Specialty Program
- Family Medicine/Preventive Medicine Combined Specialty Program
- Internal Medicine/Medical Genetics and Genomics Combined Specialty Program
- Internal Medicine/Preventive Medicine Combined Specialty Program
- Medical Genetics and Genomics/Maternal-Fetal Medicine Combined Specialty Program
- Pediatrics/Medical Genetics and Genomics Combined Specialty Program
- Pediatrics/Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Combined Specialty Program
- Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility/Medical Genetics and Genomics Combined Specialty Program
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.