AMSSM Committed to Highest Standards of Excellence in Sports Medicine to Promote Quality Care and Athlete Safety

LEAWOOD, KAN – February 4, 2013 – The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) represents more than 2,200 sports medicine physicians including team physicians at every level -- youth, high school, college, professional and Olympic. Sports medicine physicians are firmly committed to the health and safety of athletes, and the sports medicine community emphasizes the highest ethical standards and integrity regarding return to play decisions and player safety.

Board Certification in Sports Medicine is recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties and requires primary specialty training in emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics or physical medicine and rehabilitation, followed by completion of an accredited fellowship program in sports medicine. Team physician coverage is a mandatory component of all sports medicine training programs. “Our commitment to player safety is our highest priority and underscores the trust that is so critical between athletes and team physicians,” says AMSSM President Dr. Jonathan Drezner who serves as team physician for the Seattle Seahawks and the University of Washington.

Sports medicine physicians are uniquely trained in both the treatment and prevention of illness and injury, including the evaluation and management of concussion and return to play decisions. AMSSM recently released a position statement on concussion in sport (http://www.amssm.org/Content/pdf%20files/2012_ConcussionPositionStmt.pdf) authored by physicians with extensive expertise in concussion management. AMSSM also has led an international effort to better identify athletes at risk of sudden cardiac death by creating contemporary standards for electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation in athletes (http://www.amssm.org/ecg-summit-brings-togethe-p-99.html?StartPos=10&Type=), and is involved in various other advocacy, practice, and research efforts to improve quality of care and safety across sports medicine.

The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) is a multi-disciplinary organization of sports medicine physicians whose members are dedicated to education, research, advocacy and the care of athletes of all ages. Founded in 1991, the AMSSM is now comprised of more than 2,200 sports medicine physicians whose goal is to provide a link between the rapidly expanding core of knowledge related to sports medicine and its application to patients in a clinical setting. Visit www.amssm.org to learn more.

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