Factors Associated with Time Spent Practicing Sports Medicine by Those with a Certificate of Added Qualification

To determine those factors associated with family physicians certified in sports medicine (SM-FPs) devoting 75% or more of their professional time to the exclusive practice of sports medicine.

Data from the American Board of Family Medicine sports medicine examination registration questionnaires from 2003 to 2017 were analyzed. The characteristics of SM-FPs devoting 75% or more of their time to sports medicine were compared with those SM-FPs spending less than 75% time. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine characteristics that independently predicted devoting 75% or more of their professional time to the practice of sports medicine.

One thousand one hundred twelve SM-FPs recertifying in sports medicine between 2003 to 2017 were studied. They were predominately male (85.2%), allopathic (91.7%) physicians with a mean age of 47.3 years (interquartile range (IQR), 42.1-54.2) and devoted a median 50% of their professional time (IQR, 25-80) to sports medicine. Age less than 47.3 years (odds ratio (OR), 1.53; 1.12-2.08), service as a collegiate team physician (OR 1.66; 1.10-2.50), recertification in sports medicine in 2011 to 2017 compared with earlier years (OR 2.47; 1.62-3.78), and practicing in a sports medicine clinic (OR, 6.43; 4.15-9.95) predicted greater odds of spending 75% or more of their time devoted to sports medicine.

Those factors found to be associated with spending 75% or more of their time practicing sports medicine by SM-FPs seem to be consistent with recent trends in the recruitment and employment of these physicians and their ability to provide added value to the health care system by virtue of their additional training and expertise.