Education

The Primary Care/Emergency Medicine Sports Medicine Fellowship Program

Edward Snell, MD, Program Director
Joseph Dougherty, MD, Assistant Program Director

Length of program: 1 year
Number of position(s): 2

Sports medicine is an expanding, widely innovative and technologically advanced field of medicine. It involves diagnosing, treating and preventing injuries in sports and in enhancing performance in athletes, as well as treating the “weekend warrior.” Primary-care sports medicine and orthopaedic sports medicine work hand in hand in this field to continue to advance the frontiers of sports medicine. Primary-care sports medicine fellowships are blossoming across the country, producing highly skilled and qualified individuals to meet the ever-expanding need. At Allegheny General Hospital, sports medicine continues to grow as well. The accredited Primary Care/Emergency Medicine Sports Medicine Fellowship Program (PCSM) was established to meet these needs.

The PCSM fellowship is structured to give residents advanced training in non-operative orthopaedics, medical issues in athletics, basic and advanced procedures just as injections, ultrasound, and PRP. The PCSM fellows have world-class physicians, athletic trainers, rehabilitation specialists and facilities at their disposal.

Each year is structured into 12 one-month blocks. Each block focuses on a different aspect of sports medicine, with opportunity for electives as well. Some of these blocks include:

• Primary care sports medicine
• Orthopaedic sports medicine
• Foot and ankle
• Hand and upper extremity
• Musculoskeletal radiology
• Pediatric orthopaedics
• Orthopaedic spine
• Strength, conditioning and nutrition
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Procedures

In addition, fellows are responsible for covering high school, college and professional athletics. Pre-participation examinations and mass-participation event coverage are required. Each fellow is assigned as the team physician at a local high school. Other required coverage includes:

• Community College of Allegheny County
• Pittsburgh Rugby Club
• The Pittsburgh Great Race
• Pittsburgh Riverhounds
• Pittsburgh Pirates (including spring training coverage)

Longitudinal experiences include weekly training room coverage and weekly concussion clinics. All fellows are mandated (per ACGME) to have one-half days of continuity clinic in their medical field (family medicine, PM&R, ED, etc.). Each fellow attends and participates in weekly sports medicine conferences and didactics. Journal clubs are held monthly.

Sports medicine fellows learn the most up-to-date bracing, rehabilitation and diagnostic techniques available. Fellows are trained by world-renowned physicians in stem cell therapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), fat-grafting and diagnostic ultrasound.

PCSM fellows also are required to initiate or join a research project of their choice. There is ample time given to complete this research throughout the year.

The Fellowship Application includes the following:

• Completed application
• Personal statement
• Curriculum vitae
• Transcript from your medical school
• Dean's letter
• Four letters of recommendation
• USMLE Board score
• Photo

If you are a graduate of a foreign medical school, your application must also meet the following requirements:

• J-1 visa
• ECFMG certified prior to any interview

All applications should be mailed to 1307 Federal Street, 2nd Floor, Attn: Leslie Hays, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. The deadline to receive applications is December 1. Once the application is received our staff reviews the application and applies specific criteria to determine which applicants are offered interviews.