Sports Medicine School
What options are available to those who want to attend sports medicine schools?
Programs in sports medicine at institutes of higher education are a relatively new phenomenon. Not long ago, it was difficult to find colleges or other schools that offered programs specifically tailored for those hoping to pursue sports medicine careers. However, college majors in areas such as sports medicine and exercise science are becoming more and more common, as are graduate degrees and certificates in these fields of interest. It is becoming increasingly common to find degree programs in areas such as kinesiology and exercise physiology at respected two-year and four-year colleges and universities across the United States. Certificate programs in rehabilitative therapy, sports coaching, and fitness counseling are also rising in popularity and availability at colleges and professional and vocational schools.
If your college or university does not have a specific program in sports medicine, there is no need to despair. Most sports medicine careers require thorough knowledge of the sciences, especially the life sciences, and familiarity with principles of nutrition and
Of course, the type of sports medicine school you decide to attend will depend greatly on the type of sports medicine career you wish to pursue. For instance, if your goal is to become a sports physician, you will eventually need to go to medical school. No matter what you decide to major in at the undergraduate level, you will need to saturate your curriculum with the traditional pre-med courses, including chemistry, physics, biology, and advanced mathematics.
If you wish to become a sports psychologist, then you will need to pursue a degree in psychology and attain a strong educational background in the behavioral sciences as well as in subjects relating to sports medicine. On the other hand, if you want to become a rehabilitative therapist, you will want to concentrate on courses that are closely related to the work that you will eventually be doing--courses that deal with subject areas that include exercise physiology, nutrition science, sports management, and physical therapy.