Athletic trainers vs sports med doctor

[ucd]

I know athletic trainers can't prescribe meds, order/interpret MRI/images or do diagnostic/therapeutic ultrasound injections. However, strictly in terms of diagnosing various musculoskeletal/sport injuries are they comparable in knowledge and skill? Thanks

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[deleted480308]

I know athletic trainers can't prescribe meds, order/interpret MRI/images or do diagnostic/therapeutic ultrasound injections. However, strictly in terms of diagnosing various musculoskeletal/sport injuries are they comparable in knowledge and skill? Thanks

Seriously?

 

[ucd]

Seriously?

 

[ucd]

Yea, I’m seriously asking to learn about the difference. Family medicine residency do maybe 1-2 sports elective months during there entire family residency followed by 1 year fellowship which includes family medicine continuity clinic, research, and a host of other medical related obligations for the athlete . Athletic training has a 2 year master program that involves rotating through various sporting events/ sideline coverage/ and more focus on Msk injury. Length wise in time...they have the ability to be exposed to the same amount of athletes and sporting injuries. So, I’m curious purely in terms of diagnosing various Msk problem and nothing else...if they are comparable? Thank you

 

[runfastnow]

No.

ATCs can be excellent and can be poor - just like any MD.

The best way I can describe an excellent-to-good ATC is the equivalent to a PGY2 PM&R resident (or good FM PGY3) in diagnosing MSK issues. Pretty comfortable with easy things like patellofemoral pain or obvious shoulder impingement, but once it move to anything beyond that the thought processes and differential breaks down quickly.

ATCs are excellent in the space they operate - communicator between player, coach, and MD/DO; know the athletes on a very granular level; lubricate the wheels of healthcare for the athlete to get studies and therapies performed; perform basic PT and modalities. They also have skills that most MDs don't have such as taping various joints. However most of their exposure is standing at practices and seeing some athletes in the training room .... vastly different than medical training and seeing patients in clinic. All the best ATCs know their limitations and when something is more than DOMS or minor "tweak" and to move up the chain of knowledge .... just like any good physician should.

 

[Kissmyabjj]

Very well stated

No.

ATCs can be excellent and can be poor - just like any MD.

The best way I can describe an excellent-to-good ATC is the equivalent to a PGY2 PM&R resident (or good FM PGY3) in diagnosing MSK issues. Pretty comfortable with easy things like patellofemoral pain or obvious shoulder impingement, but once it move to anything beyond that the thought processes and differential breaks down quickly.

ATCs are excellent in the space they operate - communicator between player, coach, and MD/DO; know the athletes on a very granular level; lubricate the wheels of healthcare for the athlete to get studies and therapies performed; perform basic PT and modalities. They also have skills that most MDs don't have such as taping various joints. However most of their exposure is standing at practices and seeing some athletes in the training room .... vastly different than medical training and seeing patients in clinic. All the best ATCs know their limitations and when something is more than DOMS or minor "tweak" and to move up the chain of knowledge .... just like any good physician should.

 

[ucd]

Thank you so much for that awesome reply. Extremely helpful and insightful!

 

[n3xa]

If you have "adult learning" time during an elective block, it wouldn't hurt to spend a few sessions with an athletic trainer just to see what they do. I've also found a wide spectrum of communication between MD/DO and ATC, ranging from absolutely none to constant communication. I tend to lean towards the latter.

 

[KeikoTanaka]

There's also a probably a pretty decent gap in diagnostic skills from a fresh MD to a fresh DO that was passionate about using OMM in school. We have a lot more hands on exposure and manipulating joints than MDs do.

 

[The Creeper]

There's also a probably a pretty decent gap in diagnostic skills from a fresh MD to a fresh DO that was passionate about using OMM in school. We have a lot more hands on exposure and manipulating joints than MDs do.

IMO, I have not noticed any significant difference in MSK dx skills between DO and MD.

- DO, ATC, CAQSM

 

[KeikoTanaka]

IMO, I have not noticed any significant difference in MSK dx skills between DO and MD.

- DO, ATC, CAQSM

I was speaking as to a fresh out of residency DO who just did like an OMM-FM residency or something like that, compared to an MD from an allopathic residency.

I'm sure after the fellowship it equalizes as you learn what you need to do.

 

[The Creeper]

I was speaking as to a fresh out of residency DO who just did like an OMM-FM residency or something like that, compared to an MD from an allopathic residency.

I'm sure after the fellowship it equalizes as you learn what you need to do.

Maybe its training site/trainee specific but I disagree. I trained at FM-OMM that had OMM fellowship and in my opinion OMM skills are very different than MSK injury assessment skills. Many of my residency classmates would agree they are inept at appropriate physical exam MSK injury assessment. Cranial rhythm evals =/= correctly evaluating amount of laxity/endpoint of ACL. OMM training also does not cover MSK special testing other than barebones stuff. I think when I started fellowship DO and MDs were equal in physical exam diagnostic abilities. A separate point would be that I do feel OMM is an additional asset as a sports DO which patients and other providers appreciate.

 

[Baron Samedi]

There's also a probably a pretty decent gap in diagnostic skills from a fresh MD to a fresh DO that was passionate about using OMM in school. We have a lot more hands on exposure and manipulating joints than MDs do.

You sound like someone who has chugged one of those sideline Gatorade containers full of Kool-Aid.