Sports Medicine

Education

In 1987, department faculty Rob Johnson, MD, established a one-year ACGME-accredited Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship, collaboratively managed by the University of Minnesota and Hennepin County Medical Center family medicine departments and Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital.

Faculty teach sports and musculoskeletal medicine to residents who also have the opportunity to participate in a two-week, hands-on course at the Schwan’s USA Cup (the largest youth soccer tournament in the United States).

Research and Scholarship

Faculty are actively engaged in national and local sports medicine organizations, including the American College of Sports Medicine, and serve on a variety of editorial boards for sports medicine journals. The department also sponsors the Twin Cities Sports Medicine Conference, which provides health care professionals an update on the specialty via expert talks and hands-on workshops.

Research and scholarship interests include running and marathon issues, body composition of athletes, pediatric sports, bone health, exertional heat stroke, and sports-related injuries.

Practice

Family medicine faculty and orthopedic surgeons form the medical team for the University’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Coverage includes game-side and training room care for football, basketball, and hockey as well as at NCAA and Big 10 tournaments hosted by the University.

Faculty also provide medical coverage at the Twin Cities Marathon and serve as team physicians for the Minnesota Twins and Vikings, USA Gymnastics and Volleyball, and various high school and NCAA Division III teams.