Sports Medicine Fellowship
NewYork-Presbyterian’s Sports Medicine Fellowship, accredited by the ACGME since 2015, provides rigorous training in a rich academic and clinical environment. With access to resources from Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, and St. Johns Athletics, fellows gain unique and comprehensive experiences in sports medicine and musculoskeletal care. Our one-year program offers two parallel tracks: a Columbia/Weill Cornell Medicine track and a Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Queens track.
Program Overview
Clinical training for fellows consists of a sports medicine outpatient practice rotation with mentorship from dedicated faculty members in pain medicine and rehabilitation, orthopedic surgery, and family medicine. We focus on high-level clinical competency for musculoskeletal conditions and provide training in outpatient procedures, diagnostic imaging interpretation, and the use of sports ultrasound for diagnosis and therapeutic injection guidance. Academic training includes career, education, and scholarly mentorship with multiple opportunities for leadership.
Sports Medicine Fellowship Mission and Aims
To ensure a well-rounded, collaborative, and in-depth fellowship training program that prepares our graduates to step into a leadership role in sports medicine and musculoskeletal care upon graduation.
Program Aims:
- Cultivate clinicians that have a unique perspective in caring for patients with musculoskeletal and sports medicine injuries, through the varied experiences in training and geographic environments with experiences in different levels of sport.
- Foster well-rounded sports medicine physicians who will be able to care for a vast array of musculoskeletal conditions and primary care sports medicine injuries in outpatient, training room, and sideline settings.
- Advocate for the advancement of sports related health priorities.
- Provide a multi-disciplinary, collaborative, and progressive learning environment to help nurture the next generation in their application of innovative approaches of clinical science and dedication to evidence-based medicine.
- Produce graduates that are highly trained in diagnostic ultrasound and ultrasound-guided procedures and can teach at the national level.
- Produce graduates competent in managing spine-related pain in athletes and present opportunities to train in interventional spine procedures.
- Create opportunities for fellows to develop scholarly contributions which complement clinical interests and advance their career.
- Offer opportunities for fellows to learn from research faculty, be involved in research trials, and ultimately disseminate information to local, regional, and professional conferences.
- Produce excellent, independent practitioners who will be leaders in the sports medicine field.
How to Apply
Duration: 1 Year (July 1- June 30)
Positions: 2 ACGME- Accredited
Our program uses the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS) for all fellowship application material. We have two parallel tracks: Columbia/Weill Cornell and Weill Cornell/Queens. Applicants will be automatically considered for both tracks.
Application requirements:
- Completed application
- CV
- Personal statement
- Medical School Transcript
- Dean’s Letter
- 3-4 letters of recommendation
- Board Scores
- AMSSM code of ethics
We participate in the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP). Fellowship applicants must be in their final year of residency or have completed their residency in a qualifying specialty (PM&R, Family Medicine, EM, IM, or Pediatrics). *We do not currently accept external rotators.
ACGME Program: #3423534005
Columbia/Weill Cornell track NRMP: #1492342F1
Weill Cornell/Queens track NRMP: #1492342F2
Any material that cannot be sent through ERAS must be e-mailed, mailed, or faxed to:
Eloise Vasquez, Program Coordinator
Curriculum
Our fellowship places emphasis on multidisciplinary training, offering opportunities to learn from experts across specialty areas, including PM&R, orthopedic surgery, radiology, emergency medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, and other sports specialists. The two fellowship tracks we offer are academically similar and only differ in terms of 1. where the fellow spends most of their clinical time and 2. which collegiate sports team they cover.
| Columbia/Weill Cornell Fellow | Weill Cornell/Queens Fellow | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| % Columbia OP | 50% | % Weill Cornell OP | 35% |
| % Weill Cornell OP | 20% | % Queens OP | 35% |
| % Columbia University Training Room | 10% | % St. John’s Training Room | 10% |
| % Sports Continuity Clinic | 10% | % Sports Continuity Clinic | 10% |
| % Research/Elective | 10% | % Research/Elective | 10% |
Event and sports coverage
The fellow’s sports coverage includes high school, collegiate, and semi-pro teams:
- High school football
- High school training room
- Division 1 collegiate sports: Columbia University, St. John’s University, and Fordham University
- Mass event coverage: NY marathon, Velocity bike ride, Battery Dance Festival
- Semi-pro coverage: NY Rugby Club
- Alvin Ailey Dance Academy
- CUNY Adaptive Sports
Diagnostic/procedural training
Fellowship diagnostic and procedural training includes:
- Diagnostic MSK ultrasound- our program offers advanced MSK ultrasound teaching with the goal for fellows to be able to teach at the national level upon graduation
- Ultrasound-guided joint/tendon injection/procedures
- Image-guided orthobiologic procedures
- Fluoro-guided lumbar spine procedures (optional)
Didactic curriculum
Fellows participate in a robust weekly sports medicine didactic series and a professional topics didactic program to help prepare them for the next phase of their careers.
Educational Requirements
As part of their academic training, fellows are expected to participate in a variety of academic activities including:
- Leading weekly sports/spine journal club
- Grand Rounds lectures
- Participating in at least one scholarly project
- Participating in quarterly radiology rounds
- Teaching functional anatomy to residents
- Teaching ultrasound to residents and medical students