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For a non-surgeon, the next step is a one-to-two year

fellowship in sports medicine. Surgeons can do the same, or they

can take a fellowship that focuses on a particular body part. After

completing the fellowship, a surgeon can operate on athletes. The

primary care doctor, however, must also pass a certification exam.

Primary-care doctors can still treat sports injuries even

if they don’t take a sports medicine fellowship, but becoming

certified as a sports medicine doctor tells both typical patients

and college and pro teams that a doctor has special skills related

to athletics.

Sports Psychologist

During college, the potential sports psychologist should take

courses in psychology and physical education. Some schools

offer a specific sports psychology bachelor’s degree, though it’s

more common to get that training in master’s and doctorate

programs. The graduate work typically lasts four to six years

and can include internships. Students should also take classes

that focus on counseling, the one-on-one work psychologists do

with patients, as opposed to research. The counseling involves

getting clinical experience, which means working with patients

under the guidance of a licensed psychologist. Different states

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