Club and Federation Doctor

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES & ACTIVITIES:

Duties:

Clinical:

• Provide primary care to registered athletes in sports clubs/federations assigned to “Club/Federation Doctor” in adherence to Aspetar approved clinical practice guidelines. This includes the evaluation, treatment plan and follow up as appropriate.
• Maintain optimal health and maximize peak performance of athletes.
• Assist athletes of any age, professional or amateur, in any sport. 
• Diagnose, provide treatment and prevent injuries that occur during sports and physical activities as a medical physician.
• Provide both long-term and immediate supervision for the physical restoration of individuals.
• Ensure that the necessary athletes’ dietary patterns are supported to maximize performance, prevent disease and improve health.
• Work as part of a team to ensure effective communication and delivery of care.
• Maintain patient/athlete documentation, records and accurate statistical information to reflect care provided and meet professional standards and to ensure the service is monitored and evaluated.
• Communicate and make recommendations to all relevant disciplines of staff to maximise athlete care and promote multidisciplinary team working.
• Communicate and formulate recommendations to the nominated club officials and technical staff regarding athletes’ physical and health condition, progress, prognosis and participation abilities to sports activities.
• Contribute to and ensure the Implementation of ASPETAR approved clinical practice guidelines within the clinic to optimise athletes’ care.
• Be responsible for maintaining a high standard of clinical practice both for self and staff under their supervision.
• Responsible for providing medical coverage for national or international sporting events in the assigned club or federation.
• Participate in and assign clinic medical staff for event coverage as required.
• Adhere to and actively promote the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) principles and regulations regarding the use of drugs in sport. Comply with the spirit and letter of the WADA Code and the ASPETAR/NSMP Anti-Doping Position Statement.

Operational:

• Create and maintain effective working relationships with all staff to ensure good communication links to improve athlete care.
• Participate in regular case review meetings to evaluate and optimize care for club/federation athletes. 
• Provide quarterly training on CPR and First Aid to all staff in clinic.  Training report for all staff to be provided to the NSMP Director of Medical Services.
• Proactively seek to propose ideas to improve services within the club/federation clinic.
• Provide senior support, as needed, to other less experienced staff who work in the department.
• Plan, organize and prioritize own patient caseload.
• Update annually in all the required areas of Mandatory training.
• Carry out any duties as may be reasonably required by the Club/Federation Clinic Director to ensure the effective and efficient running of the Club/Federation Clinic.

Education:

• Participate in Sports Medicine in-service training and if necessary, lead team in-service training to promote personnel and team development.
• Assist the clinic director in coordinating club/federation medical clinic educational activities.
• Deliver relevant clinical education to multidisciplinary staffs (e.g. infection control and other safety practices that impact on athlete and staff health).
• Orientate new staff to relevant medical clinic policies and practices.
• Maintain annual mandatory and core competencies relevant to the position.
• Plan for and participate in continuing education and training relevant and applicable to scope of practice, in order to fulfil CME requirements to ensure medical doctor license retention (as per DHP) and to maintain professional knowledge and clinical competence.
• Participate in the Performance Development system to promote personal and service developments.

Decisions and Judgement:

• Provide a clinical diagnosis and take decisions on treatment options which provides optimal athlete care.
• Prioritise caseload to ensure a performance-based approach to athlete management.
• Clinical advice and guidance to staff within the nominated Clinic.

Working Relationships:

Athletes: 

• Provide and receive information regarding assessment, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment to encourage compliance. 
• Athletes will have a range of medical problems and will require the Club/Federation doctor to utilise developed motivation and persuasion skills to facilitate rehabilitation and management, both in an individual and group setting. 

Club Officials/Technical Staff:

• Share athlete assessment findings and progress with treatment and suggest other professional input requirements within bounds of professional practice and guidelines and in respect of the medical confidentiality rules and ethics.
• Teach a range of athlete management strategies.

Medical Staff (internal / external): 

• Reinforce communication channels with the Sports Medicine doctors and physiotherapists within the ASPETAR Team to ensure appropriate daily service provision and to provide consistency to the medical service provided for athletes across ASPETAR and clubs/Federations. 
• Share information relating to athlete transfer to both internal and external colleagues.

Multidisciplinary team within the specialty: 

• Teach patient medical management strategies to optimise athlete care.

Physiotherapy Staff: 

• Share athlete assessment findings, progress with treatment and suggest other professional input requirements.

External Organisations:

• Such as federations, to ensure a continuing provision of care for athletes on discharge, or in camp with their respective national team doctors.
• Liaise with the various departments in Aspetar, such as the Sports Medicine, Radiology, Surgery, Sport Science, Pharmacy and Rehabilitation Department, to ensure a proper management and follow up of the club/federation athletes and a continuing provision of care for patients on discharge.

People and Management:

• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate personal practice and that of others to drive continuous improvement and implement necessary changes.
• Keep up to date with recent advances in the field of Sports Medicine and to promote the use of evidence-based practice.
• Forge strong professional links with members of the technical team to promote the medical service.
• Develop knowledge, skills and evaluation processes in a wide variety of conditions and athlete groups and become a specialist within a particular area of work with involvement in teaching and education.
• Undertake a mentally and physically demanding job, whilst at the same time safeguarding own health and safety as well as those of colleagues and athletes.
• Assume or accept any other responsibilities as assigned by the direct supervisor within the position role and responsibility.
• Patient Safety-Attend and successfully complete competencies which focus on patient safety initiatives implemented within Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital. Patient Safety Training is an annual requirement, to include all organizational leaders, staff, service, and contracted providers.

Necessary knowledge and Experience to be able to do the job:

• 7-9 years of experience in sport medicine of which a minimum of   3-5 years in similar position. 
• The Club and Federation Doctor must hold an unrestricted medical license and a MD degree, with responsibility for treating and coordinating the medical care of athletes.
• The primary concern of the Club/Federation doctor is to provide the best medical care for athletes at all levels of participation. 
• Previous experience as Club/Federation Doctor in an Elite setting is preferred.
• Continuing medical education in sports medicine. 
• Membership and participation in a sports medicine society

Education and Certification requirements:

• Have a MD in good standing, with an unrestricted license to practice medicine.
• Master’s degree in Sports Medicine or formal training in sports medicine (fellowship training, board recognized subspecialty in sports medicine [formerly known as a certificate of added qualification in sports medicine]) or Specialty Board certification in sport medicine.
• To be trained in CPR and First Aid.
• Training in advanced cardiac life support desirable.
• Fulfil all the licensing requirements.

Job specific technical Skills

• Possess a fundamental knowledge of emergency care regarding sporting events.
• Have a working knowledge of trauma, musculoskeletal injuries, and medical conditions affecting the athlete.
• Additional training in sports medicine, or related fields.