MEL 8587: Sports Medicine 15-16

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The student in this elective will have the opportunity to work with orthopedic/sports medicine specialists, physical therapists, and certified athletic trainers. The sports medicine experience includes sports medicine clinics, hands-on field experience with a certified athletic trainer at the University of Tampa, familiarity with rehabilitation modalities at a physical therapy center, and game coverage opportunities. In addition, students might have exposure to sports for children with disabilities.

Objectives

This elective is designed to provide the students, as general practitioners, with the background to comfortably evaluate, treat, diagnose, and selectively refer athletic injuries. The educational objectives include:

1.  Sports participation evaluation and normal orthopedic exam
2. Evaluation, diagnosis, and mechanism of common athletic and overuse injuries both on the field and in the clinic setting
3. Familiarity with available physical therapy and rehabilitation modalities
4. Participation in counseling about injury prevention education, nutrition, healthy lifestyles, dehydration, and anabolic steroid issues.

The schedule of this rotation is more varied, with educational opportunities occurring in the evening and weekends. This would allow for exposure to the variety of lectures and conferences offered by the USF Pediatrics residency, as well as for some weekdays completely free from clinical responsibilities.

**Students who select a 2 week rotation may only have 1 day of absence excused.