Program Overview

Sports Medicine Program

The Sports Medicine program is a diverse field of healthcare professionals that come together to prevent, diagnose, treat, and manage injuries and illnesses in athletic and physically active populations. There are many different types of providers involved in sports medicine, including physicians, athletic trainers, physical therapists, orthopedic surgeons, nutritionists, chiropractors, dentists, and more.

Program Description

In the Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine program, students will gain foundational information related to sports medicine to be able to take the next steps required by the specific discipline they are interested in. The program includes coursework in the foundations of health and healthcare, career planning, evidence-based practice, ethical practice, health communication, and human movement and performance. Students will also receive coursework in Sports Medicine, including introduction to athletic training, emergency medical responder training, fundamentals of injury management for sports medicine professionals, and medical terminology.

Program Requirements

• The program is the only bachelor's program in the state that is specifically tied to the development of future healthcare professionals in sports.
• The program has an institutional history of providing sports medicine education for nearly 50 years.
• The program is designed to demonstrate interest and preliminary expertise in a subset of medicine that can set graduates apart from other professional program applicants.

Additional Highlights

• The program is transfer-student friendly, allowing students to easily join the BS in Sports Medicine after starting their journey at a junior college.
• The program offers flexibility to pursue many different types of health-related professions in the future.
• Students will learn from sports medicine experts and network based on their career goals.
• The program engages students with sports medicine-specific content to set themselves apart from other graduate school applicants.

Research Opportunities

• Students may be able to assist with research opportunities in the School of Health Professions and Sports Medicine and Community Health Research Lab.
• Students in the Honors College can complete their research requirements with Sports Medicine faculty.

Internships

• Students can gain observation hours in diverse fields necessary to apply to professional programs.

Scholarship Opportunities

• Interested students may be eligible to apply for scholarships/assistantships working with USM athletic teams as an Athletic Training Student Aide.

Availability

• The Sports Medicine BS program is available at the Hattiesburg campus.
• The program is offered through the College of Nursing and Health Professions.