Tactical Sports Medicine Internship -

My second internship rotation at SCU Health is with a department I’d never heard of before. Tactical Sports Medicine is basically worker’s comp rehab for first responders, athletes, and people going through the academy to become first responders. The doctors’ treatment objective is to reduce injury risk and decrease recovery time. Primary focus is placed on strength and conditioning that’s specific to each patients recovery needs.

My first day began with an orientation to get a better understanding of the patients and the treatments I’ll be observing. Their professions are very physical, so injuries happen quite often. The course of treatment ranges from therapy workouts in the gym, to massage and chiropractic therapies. Doctors may also order an MRI to give a more accurate diagnosis of the patient’s injury.

I really didn’t know what to expect my first day at Tactical Sports Medicine, but was surprised to find out how much I really enjoyed meeting and engaging with the patients. It was a far different experience from acupuncture because there were a lot more interns in that department, so engaging with the patients was a bit of a challenge. But not here where I was the only intern. The doctors would often introduce me to the patient and from there I could engage in conversation with them to get to know them and their story better. And maybe even sneak in a couple coaching techniques!