Orthopedic Team Surgeons in Major Professional Sports: An Analysis of Affiliation With the Top 10 Sports Medicine Fellowship Programs and Implications for Leadership and Diversity.

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the correlation between orthopedic team surgeons in major professional sports and their affiliation with the top 10 sports medicine fellowship programs. With a growing trend in post-residency fellowship training, particularly in sports medicine, the study focuses on the implications of fellowship program choice for aspiring major professional sports team physicians. By analyzing data from Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), and the National Hockey League (NHL), the research reveals that 61 of 124 (49.19%) team surgeons graduated from the top 10 sports medicine fellowship programs. The results identify a noticeable pipeline effect in professional sports, where teams often hire graduates from a select number of esteemed fellowship programs. The study suggests that choosing a fellowship program from the top 10 list may enhance the prospects of becoming a major league team surgeon. Additionally, our results found a significant gender disparity among team surgeons, with only two (1.6%) of all major professional team physicians being women. This emphasizes the imperative for diversity improvement in orthopedic sports medicine. In conclusion, the research underscores the impact of top-tier fellowship programs on professional team surgeons, with implications for aspiring sports medicine physicians and a call for addressing gender disparities.