Lehigh Valley Health Network Program

The Sports Medicine Fellowship at Lehigh Valley Health Network offers a comprehensive training program that emphasizes all aspects of primary care sports medicine. The structure of the program combines longitudinal experiences, focused specialty rotations, didactics, and event coverage to enrich the fellows' educational experience.

Curriculum Overview

The curriculum of the fellowship includes a year-long exposure to various facets of sports medicine, ensuring that fellows experience essential topics pertinent to the ABFM Certificate of Added Qualifications Examination. Key elements of the curriculum include:

• Longitudinal Experiences: Fellows practice as primary providers at the Valley Health Partners Family Health Center, where they manage a weekly sports medicine clinic addressing common orthopedic complaints.
• Core Rotations: Fellows engage in core rotations that encompass multiple specialties within Sports Medicine. These rotations usually involve three to four half-days per week over a structured timeframe, including:
• Initial Orientation: An extensive four-week orientation taking place in July to familiarize fellows with both the network and Sports Medicine faculty while incorporating various didactics.
• Orthopedic Sports Medicine: Two separate sessions lasting four weeks each, allowing fellows to train in both clinical and operating room settings with sports orthopedists.
• Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery: Four weeks focused on pediatric orthopedic practices.
• Electives: Opportunities for fellows to tailor their learning in January and after the AMSSM meeting in May/June, involving away electives and focused studies in nutrition, radiology, or alternative medicine.

Didactics and Event Coverage

Didactic sessions are held weekly, covering both common and advanced topics such as sports cardiology, rheumatology, and concussion management. Additionally, fellows get hands-on experience covering local high school and college sports events, including at least 10 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey team and opportunities at NASCAR events and professional cycling competitions.

Research Opportunities

Every fellow is required to undertake a scholarly activity, which can cover a variety of research forms including clinical research, surveys, and systematic literature reviews, contributing to the advancement of sports medicine.

Application Guidelines

The application process for the fellowship is competitive, accepting two fellows annually through the ERAS system. Significant application requirements include:

• The completion or active participation in an ACGME-approved residency in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, or emergency medicine.
• Graduation from residency within the last three years or evidence of active clinical experience with a valid medical license.
• Official transcripts from USMLE/COMLEX examinations, with a limit of one fail across the three parts.
• A personal statement and three letters of recommendation, including one from the residency program director and one from an orthopedic or sports medicine physician.

Visa Support and Competitiveness

For international medical graduates (IMGs), the program has stated that they do not sponsor visas. This may impact the application potential for many candidates. The fellowship is quite competitive and receives a diverse array of applicants, including those from DO and IMG backgrounds.

Benefits

Fellows enjoy specific benefits in addition to the general graduate medical education salary, including:

• A continuing education allowance of $1,500.
• Uniforms for game coverage.
• Membership dues for AMSSM and primary care associations paid for fellows.
• Covers fees for select conferences and in-training exams.

Overall, the Sports Medicine Fellowship at Lehigh Valley Health Network provides a comprehensive and rich educational experience, balancing clinical exposure, didactic training, and research opportunities, designed to mold proficient sports medicine physicians ready to excel in their careers.