Sports Medicine Fontana - Curriculum

Goals & Objectives

The goal of the Kaiser Permanente Sports Medicine Fellowship Program is to train primary care physicians in the care of active and athletic patients of all ages and levels, for injuries, illnesses, and other problems related to athletic activity. This includes treatment of medical conditions and injuries, not only arising from athletic endeavors, but that interfere with these activities. Prevention of injuries, illness, and disease is also taught. The fellows are trained in exercise prescription and its relationship to health.

Curriculum

Much of this training occurs in the Sports Medicine Clinic via one-on-one teaching by the Sports Medicine Fellowship Faculty. Fellows see and present patients to the faculty on site in the clinic. Primary Sports medicine faculty are available at all clinics and by phone when fellows are at school and other team sites. All Sports Medicine Clinics are attended by a sports medicine trained physical therapist, that works closely with the fellows.  Fellows also work with Orthopedic Sports Medicine consultants in Sports Medicine clinics and various Orthopedic clinics.

Clinical Experiences & Rotations

Rotations are available in Radiology, Preventive Medicine/Nutrition, Rheumatology, Cardiology/Exercise Testing, and Podiatry. Time is set aside in each schedule to allow the resident to participate in these rotations. There is also continued experience in each of these areas.

During Preventive Medicine/Nutrition, the fellow works in a Kaiser Permanente Clinic with Physicians and Dieticians helping patients to optimize their diet and exercise to improve health.

A Radiology rotation is available to read films with a Musculoskeletal Radiologist at Kaiser Permanente. Clinically relevant radiology is taught in the sports medicine clinics with the Sports Medicine faculty and Orthopedic surgeons. The fellows review plain radiography, MRI, CT, and nuclear studies on individual patients at each Sports Medicine Clinic.

Podiatry is taught by podiatrists in the Orthopedic Department. Fellows become familiar with common foot and ankle problems and their treatment. Additional time is available during the orthopedic rotation.

The fellow supervises treadmills with trained nurse clinicians in the Cardiology Department. Discussion of Sports Medicine Cardiology concerns is always available with board certified cardiologists.

Ultrasound and Procedures

Teaching and experience with diagnostic ultrasound and guided procedures takes place in a stepwise fashion throughout the year, beginning with didactics and basic techniques taught by faculty at the beginning of training. Teaching on Point-of-Care Ultrasound relevant to Sports Medicine is also taught by the Family Medicine Residency Faculty. Each fellow is issued a portable ultrasound unit to carry to games and events for onsite use. Experience with procedures continues in our dedicated injection and procedure clinics that include dry needling, prolotherapy, fracture care, minor surgery, and osteopathic manipulation.

Sideline and Event Coverage

Each fellow is assigned a Division 3 College and large high school for which they serve as the head team physician for the year. In that role, they attend all football games and staff an afternoon training room clinic each week at their assigned college and high school.

The fellows also provide training room and basketball game coverage for the University of California Riverside (Division 1) and Cal State San Bernardino (Division 2). In addition, the fellows serve at the team physicians for the Los Angeles Football Club’s minor league (USL) club called the Lights, where they attend practice and many games.  The fellows also attend games and provide emergency support for the Los Angeles Football Club (MLS).

Kaiser is also the official healthcare provider for the Special Olympics in Southern California and the fellows have many opportunities to provide care to these unique athletes during the various competitions held in the Southern California region throughout year.

Continuity Clinics

The primary care training for the fellows is also honed during the year. Fellows participate in one or two primary care continuity clinics each week. They share a panel of patients with faculty so they may serve as the primary caregivers.

Teaching Requirements

Fellows are asked to present an occasional lecture on a sports medicine topic at the family medicine resident noon conference. The fellows also actively participate in teaching medical students and residents in clinics and on the sidelines. Daily family medicine resident conferences are available, and the fellows are encouraged to attend to maintain and enhance their primary care skills.

Research Opportunities

Fellows are required to complete a research project during the year. This is supervised by the faculty with funding available from the Kaiser Regional Research Fund. In house support in terms of study design, biostatistics, and manuscript editing is available to help fellows complete their project.

Facility and Benefits

The Fontana Medical Center is home to nearly 650,000 patients, where our outpatient volumes in the family medicine department number around 50,000 visits per month. The medical center serves a diverse population in terms of gender, ethnicity, and age. Any medical problem you could imagine presents at our facility.

The Fontana main campus houses a 400-bed hospital, family medicine and residency center, along with a state-of -the-art emergency department and all major medical and surgical specialty clinics. The Sports Medicine Fellowship Center is housed in its own module within the Family Medicine Department, where we have dedicated staff of Medical Assistants, Nurses and Administrators that support our patient care needs.

Medical records are computerized and shared among the entire Southern California Kaiser system through our Epic electronic medical record. Fellows have easy computer access to detailed patient reports including imaging studies, labs, pathology reports, consults, appointments, and pharmacy records – all of which can be accessed via a Kaiser issued cell phone and other devices.

In addition to their competitive salary, fellows are provided with excellent Kaiser healthcare coverage for themselves and family, along with dental coverage. They are also provided lab coats, free parking, a meal stipend, and an educational stipend to attend national sports medicine meetings.

Future Employment

Kaiser Fontana fellows are uniquely trained to practice and become leaders in virtually any practice setting. In fact, our former fellows are spread across the country and have served as team physicians at the Professional, Division 1 College and Olympic Team level, along with numerous fellowship program directors and faculty for a range Sports Medicine training programs.  Our fellows are also especially suited and actively recruited for the many Sports Medicine jobs available in the Kaiser Permanente system.