In any educational endeavor pertaining to sport medicine, attention to principles of exercise and the relationship of exercise to optimal functioning of many organ systems is important in training. Sports medicine education programs should encourage their students to engage in regular exercise and, in particular, to engage in exercise with members of their families. As students have learned to develop structured educational and scheduled recreational activities with their own families, it is easier for them to teach recreational principles to the family units of their students, clients and patients. Sports medicine is a broad body of knowledge in health care which addresses the needs of individuals in all age groups who exercise, an essential component of health. Sports medicine deals with the medical supervision of recreational and competitive athletes and all others who exercise for prevention and treatment of disease and injury.
Exercise can be beneficial in many physiologic processes.
Appropriate pre participation evaluation of the athlete is critical. Sports medicine can include evaluating, treating and counseling individuals involved in exercise or supporting activities. As a distance education program, our focus is on theory and academic preparation. It is the responsibility of the student to recognize the limitation of each clinical site, and seek additional mentorships for additional skills as necessary. The program is willing and able to assist in this process.