Curriculum

Goals & Objectives

The goal of the Kaiser Permanente Fellowship Program is to train primary care physicians in the care of active and athletic patients of all ages and levels, for injuries, illnesses, and other problems related to athletic activity. This includes treatment of medical conditions and injuries, not only arising from athletic endeavors, but that interfere with these activities. Prevention of injuries, illness, and diseases is also taught. The fellows are trained in exercise prescription and its relationship to health.

Much of this training occurs in the Sports Medicine Clinic via one-on-one teaching by the Sports Medicine Faculty. Fellows see and present patients to the faculty present in the clinic. Primary Sports medicine faculty are available at all clinics. Fellows work with orthopedic sports medicine consultants in sports medicine clinics and in orthopedic clinics.

Research Opportunities

Fellows are required to complete a research project during the year. This is supervised by the faculty with funding available from the Kaiser Regional Research Fund. In house support in terms of study design, biostatistics, and manuscript editing is available to help fellows complete their project.

Clinical Experiences & Rotations

Rotations are available in Radiology, Preventive Medicine/Nutrition, Cardiology/Exercise Testing, and Podiatry. Time is set aside in each schedule to allow the resident to participate in these rotations. There is also continued experience in each of these areas.

During Preventive Medicine/Nutrition, the fellow works in a Kaiser Permanente Clinic with an exercise physiologist providing nutritional and exercise counseling to patients.

A radiology rotation is available with radiologists at Kaiser Permanente. Clinically relevant radiology is taught in the sports medicine clinics with the sports medicine faculty and orthopedic surgeons. The fellows review plain radiography, CT, nuclear studies, and MRI on individual patients at each Sports Medicine Clinic.

Podiatry is taught by podiatrists in the Orthopedic Department. Fellows become familiar with common foot and ankle problems and their treatment Additional time is available during the orthopedic rotation.

The Fellow supervises treadmills with trained nurse clinicians in the Cardiology Department. Discussion of Sports Medicine Cardiology concerns is always available with board certified cardiologists.

A great deal of time learning Sports Medicine is done on the sidelines and in the training room. The schools chosen for fellows assignment are carefully selected from the large number of schools in the area. Each fellow is designated team physician at a high school and college under the guidance of faculty members.

The primary care background of residents is also honed during the year. Fellows participate in one or two continuity clinics per week. They share a panel of patients with faculty so they may serve as the primary caregivers. Daily family medicine resident conferences are open to the Fellows.

Fellows actively participate in teaching medical students and residents in clinics and on the sidelines.