Donald Kasitinon, MD
Stanford University Sports Medicine Fellowship
Whether you are about to start a sports medicine fellowship, about to apply to them, or just considering a career in sports medicine, have you ever wondered what a typical week as a sports medicine fellow looks like? The year is one of the most hectic, yet fun, times in life. There will always be more to learn and do than you have time for, but that is the beauty behind this year of professional and personal growth.
You will learn how to interact with athletes, coaches, staff, other physicians, athletic trainers, physical therapists and more throughout the year, and experience all the work that goes behind keeping an athletic team performing at its best. You will also likely have opportunities to travel with the teams you cover, and every once in a while, you will have to pinch yourself to double check whether watching sports is really part of your job!
All fellowships are built a bit differently, but they all provide you with the tools needed to become an excellent sports medicine physician. This year in particular has been full of twists and turns due to changing policies in NCAA sports around the pandemic, and flexibility has been key.
See below for an example of one of my weeks during fellowship. Keep in mind that this was also a year in which many fall and spring sports were playing simultaneously in the spring (hence the large amount of coverage in one week). Outside of coverage, weekends were dedicated to catching up on academic work, playing outdoor sports myself, hanging out with friends (within the allowances of the pandemic), lounging around, and buying groceries/doing laundry for the week.
So as you can see, the year will keep you occupied but will also be one of the best and most exciting in your life!