The Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship at Saint Vincent Health Center in Erie, Pa, is dedicated to providing hands-on experience working with athletes of all ages. This 12-month fellowship is sponsored by Saint Vincent Health Center and is closely associated with the Saint Vincent Family Practice Residency Program. Our primary location for patient care is Saint Vincent Sports Medicine at Family First Sports Park. This center offers primary care sports medicine, orthopedic surgical consultation, radiology and physical therapy all under one roof. The fellow also actively participates in weekly training rooms and game coverage at local high schools and colleges. This regular exposure to athletes across a broad range of sports and skill levels provide the foundation for a strong clinical education in primary care sports medicine.
Saint Vincent Sports Medicine provides a rich source of clinical learning for the sports medicine fellow. There are currently four primary care sports medicine specialists at the center. The sports medicine fellow has the opportunity for first contact with patients referred to the facility for sports injuries. The attending physicians are committed to having the fellow actively involved in the ongoing care of these athletes. The center also offers a foot and ankle clinic once a week that is oriented toward running injuries. The regular contact with the physical therapists, athletic trainers and orthopedic surgeons who work at Saint Vincent Sports Medicine also provides many learning opportunities.
The sports medicine fellow is also actively involved in caring for athletic teams at the high school and college level. The fellow is directly responsible for one high school, covering events and providing weekly training room coverage. The fellow is also actively involved in assisting the attending physicians who provide care for the athletes at Mercyhurst College, a Division II school that competes in a large number of men’s and women’s sports. This involves providing training room coverage three times a week, event coverage for various sports, and coordination of care for these athletes.
Formal teaching occurs on Wednesday afternoons during scheduled lectures and workshops. The lecture schedule is designed to cover a full scope of primary care sports medicine. The schedule also attempts to connect the formal teaching content to the current clinical experience of the fellow. There is a review of regional anatomy and then coverage of the many medical topics that relate to primary care sports medicine. This exposure is an essential part of preparation to sit for the CAQ exam. The fellowship is also quite fortunate to have a radiology series twice a month. It is led by the musculoskeletal radiologist at Saint Vincent Health Center. The sports medicine fellow does provide teaching to the family practice residents and medical student who are doing sports medicine rotations. The fellow also has weekly primary care clinical time scheduled at the residency’s Family Medicine Center. This practice has a strong adult and pediatric population base.
The Saint Vincent Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship offers a competitive salary and benefit package. There are no overnight responsibilities for the fellow, but there is the expectation that the fellow will participate extensively in event coverage throughout the year. The fellowship does strictly adhere to the ACGME work rules for postgraduate education. There is support provided to attend two national meetings a year in sports medicine. The fellow is expected to present a clinical case at one of the national meetings in sports medicine. There is also opportunity to participate in ongoing scholarly activity that is occurring in the fellowship.
Salary and Benefits (2004-2005)
- Salary: $45,883
- Air fare reimbursement for interview visit: up to $200 per person
- Moving expenses: Reimbursement of out-of-town moving expenses up to $2,000
- Health and dental insurance: interns, residents and associates pay a portion of the premium costs
- Life insurance, long-term disability and malpractice insurance
- Education: reimbursement for expenses incurred up to $2,000 to attend two national sports medicine meetings
- Free meals while on duty
- Full laundry services for lab coats
- Free, 24-hour parking available in parking garage
- Paid time off: 10 working days per year
An additional 10 days of salaried absence for offsite medical education (e.g. courses, symposia)
How to Apply
Download the PDF below, and mail the completed application form to:
Medical Education Administrator
Saint Vincent Health Center
2314 Sassafras Street, 3rd floor
Erie, PA 16502
Sports Medicine Fellowship Application Form (PDF, 49 kb)
You can expect to hear from Saint Vincent within two weeks of receipt of your application.
For information or to apply for a fellowship, contact the Medical Education Administrator, or call 1-800-730-3003, menu option #2.
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