Sports medicine is a branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, treatment of injuries and physical fitness related to exercise and sports. Sports medicine has emerged as a distinct field of medicine only in the late 20th century since most of the sports teams employed their own team physicians previously. Diploma in Sports Medicine is a two year Post Graduate course offers only by a single medical college in India and it is a government medical institution running with approval from the Medical Council of India and the name of this government institution for Diploma in Sports Medicine is given below:

• Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports Medicine, Patiala

Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports Medicine, Patiala:

The medical council of India has approved this institution with an intake capacity of six students per year for the Diploma in Sports Medicine course. This institution is acting as the main academic centre for the Sports Authority of India. The total number of six seats available in the institution for Diploma in Sports Medicine is divided as one seat for ST/OBC candidate, one for SC candidate and four seats are reserved for general category candidates.

Eligibility requirement and admission procedure:

The eligibility requirement for seeking admission to the Diploma in Sports Medicine course is that candidates must have completed their Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery course with one-year compulsory rotator internship. The desirable qualification specified by the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports Medicine is that candidates must have completed their MD/MS in surgery/orthopaedics/general medicine/physiology. In addition, candidates must have obtained permanent registration with the Medical Council of India or any state medical councils or even admitted candidates can obtain the same within one month from the date of admission. In the case of NRI and foreign nationals, they must obtain PG study registration from the Medical Council of India. Selection of candidates for this course in the institution will be based on the rank obtained by them in the All India Sports Medicine Post Graduate Entrance Test shortly called as SMPGET followed by interview.

Method of instruction for Diploma in Sports Medicine followed by NSNIS:

The institute follows theoretical and practical methods of education and the theoretical method includes assignments, case presentation, seminars, clinical discussions and lectures. When it comes to practical education, students are offered with rotary internship in government medical college in Patiala in anaesthesia, surgery and orthopaedics. Other practical methods followed by the institute includes providing medical coverage to sports personnel injured duration national level competitions, national coaching camps and attending sports personnel injured during training at the institution in addition to conducting different sport scientific laboratory tests for evaluation of reserve and functional capabilities of sports personnel. This course is offered by the institution with affiliation from the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences located in Faridkot.

Scope of Diploma in Sports Medicine:

Sports medicine is a field with great scope since sports is getting increasingly competitive and only a completely fit sports personnel can bring honors not only for himself, but also for his team and nation. Therefore, opportunities for Diploma in Sports Medicine are open in the following positions:

• Top-flight trainers

• Physiotherapists

• Nutritionists

• Psychologists

• Masseurs

Professionals with Diploma in Sport medicine can find job placement in these positions since they are being trained in all these areas that are highly essential for offering relief to sports personnel with injury. Moreover, since India is a country with great focus towards sports, professionals in sports medicine are in great demand and this is applicable not only in India, but in foreign  countries as well. Therefore, candidates can confidently go for Diploma in Sports Medicine after completion of their MBBS course.