Education for Professionals > Orthopaedic Surgery Sports Medicine Fellowship > Duties and Responsibilities
The Sports Medicine Fellow is responsible for the in-patients of the attending staff member to which he or she is assigned. The fellow is not responsible for any orthopaedic trauma patients who may be assigned to the inpatient service. The fellow is not responsible for any formal Emergency Room call other than the care of OSU athletes who may be injured and transferred to the Emergency Room. The Sports Medicine Fellow is responsible for attending the Sports Medicine Clinics of the Faculty to whom he is assigned as well as his three hour weekly Sports Medicine Clinic at the OSU Student Health Center. While in the Sports Medicine Center, the Fellow is directly supervised by the Attending Staff with discussion of differential diagnosis, ordering and interpretation of diagnostic tests, as well as the development of treatment plans. While at the Student Health Center, the Fellow has more autonomy with Sports Medicine staff support and back-up. In the OSU training rooms, the Sports Medicine Fellow has some autonomy with patient care but primarily has a staff member present to review cases and decision making. At the high school, the Fellow serves as the primary source of orthopaedic care both on the sidelines and in the training room. His back-up support is by the OSU Sports Medicine Center Staff.
In the operating room, the Fellow has signficant hands-on experience progressing from first assistant to primary surgeon with direct supervision. The Sports Medicine Fellow sometimes supervises Resident Clinic cases with the residents. This has been a positive educational experience for both the fellows and the residents. The Fellow is involved in pre-season physicals for many of the teams at Ohio State as well as in-season event coverage and training room exposure. He/she is also expected to perform exit physicals with decision making regarding off season rehabilitation and conditioning. At Ohio State University, the Fellow is a member of the Sports Medicine team providing care to the athletes in conjunction with the Orthopaedic Sports Medicine staff, the Primary Care Sports Medicine Staff and the Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellows. The fellow goes to an OSU training room twice each week (three times a week during football season). In the training room, the fellow either observes, assists, or is autonomous in the evaluation and treatment of athletes. Support and supervision are never far. OSU trainers are present at every training room session.
The fellows also have sporting event and game coverage responsibilities. In addition to clinical teaching, the Fellows have a didactic teaching schedule. Sports Medicine Journal Club takes place once a month. Classic and current articles are reviewed during this conference. The fellows are responsible for reading and being prepared to present the articles during the Journal Clubs. Journal club is attended by faculty members who also critique the articles.
The fellows are also required to attend any orthopaedic Grand Rounds that are appropriate to Sports Medicine. The fellows have also participated in a voluntary fashion with covering resident indigent or prison cases. The fellows have found this to be quite a positive educational experience and continue to volunteer.
