Title: Sports Medicine Faces Extreme Risk of Disappearing Due to Lack of Training and Specialists
Subtitle: Regional Support Emerges as Potential Savior for the Specialty
by [Author’s Name]
[date]
The field of Sports Medicine is currently facing a critical situation due to a severe shortage of specialists, which could ultimately lead to the disappearance of the specialty. Since 2018, official professional schools have stopped teaching Sports Medicine, resulting in a lack of new specialists entering the field. Even if efforts are made to revive the specialty, it is estimated that no new specialists will be available until 2028, five years from now. With potential retirements looming in the coming years, the next legislative term represents a crucial opportunity to revive Sports Medicine.
According to Miguel Enrique del Valle, the president of the Spanish Society of Sports Medicine (Semed), the new Royal Decree of Specialties 589/2022 does not adequately consider the unique characteristics of Sports Medicine. Del Valle emphasizes that the requirements for justifying the need for a specialty should include certification by at least seven Ministries of Health or Health. Catalonia is leading the way in supporting this new specialty, asserting that it supports Sports Medicine and will assume responsibility for financing within its region.
Regional support has emerged as a potential lifeline for the specialty, as it awaits adaptation to hospital training via the MIR (Medical Intern Resident) program, which is currently in the process of regulatory adaptation. Extremadura is also considering supporting Sports Medicine, while the Ministry of Health adheres strictly to the requirements outlined in Royal Decree 589/2022.
Catalonia stands out as a frontrunner in championing Sports Medicine, with the Department of Health led by Minister Manel Balcells, who is also a specialist in Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology and in Physical Education and Sports Medicine. The development of Sports Medicine in Catalonia has been deemed essential and has seen significant growth. Andalusia and the Community of Madrid are also recognized for their contributions in this field. Currently, there are an estimated 700 to 800 Sports Medicine doctors in Spain, predominantly practicing in the private sector and affiliated with sports councils.
The scarcity of specialists in Sports Medicine is a matter of concern, as their unique skills and expertise cannot be easily replaced. The lack of reinstatement of the specialty would have far-reaching negative implications for both society in general and the world of sports in particular. Semed stresses the urgency of restoring the specialty promptly to avoid the loss of experienced professionals due to impending retirements.
Semed is currently awaiting the formation of the Spanish government and the establishment of the new regional governments to bolster its implementation efforts. Del Valle laments that despite Spain having 3.7 million registered athletes and 40% of the population engaging in regular physical exercise, the country lags behind with the absence of Sports Medicine as a recognized specialty. In Europe, there are 25 countries that have embraced this field, some even with subspecialties, highlighting the illogical nature of its disappearance in Spain.
Sports Medicine impacts the general population by prescribing physical exercise, which helps delay dependence, and plays a crucial role in the field of sports. Doctors without proper training in this specialty are ill-equipped to treat athletes, jeopardizing their health and well-being. Semed remains committed to the challenge of reinstating Sports Medicine as a recognized specialty.
In recent years, there have been two attempts to establish Sports Medicine as an officially recognized specialty. However, external circumstances, such as political shifts and changes in regulatory bodies, have prevented its final implementation. Nevertheless, Semed remains hopeful that the third time will prove successful in creating this much-needed specialty.
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