So, You Want to Be a Pro Team Physician? (Video)

Mark Schickendantz, MD, Director of Cleveland Clinic Sports Health and Head Team Physician of the Major League Baseball Cleveland Guardians, says he was “blessed with the opportunity” to work for the 2016 American League champions.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Think becoming a physician for a professional sports team is your dream job? Dr. Schickendantz shares what it’s really like in this video.

So, You Want to Be a Pro Team Physician?

Dr. Schickendantz says:

“When you take care of professional guys… there are different circumstances… You’re certainly much more under the microscope when you’re dealing with these athletes. They have some different… non-medical issues that may play into decision making… but you stick to the medicine. Stick to the medicine. It’s the only thing you know, it’s the only thing we have control over. Always stick to the medicine, always do what’s right for your athlete regardless of all the other peripheral things. It’s hard because of a lot of noise in the background… but always do what’s right.

It can be a little overwhelming… It’s truly another full-time job… and it’s wonderful. I wouldn’t have it any other way, but that’s not the lifestyle I think a lot of physicians are looking for. It’s not just coming to a game and hanging out with your family… We have 81 home games… It’s a tremendous amount of time away from your practice.

Sometimes the coaches they’ll ask me, ‘Hey, what did you do during your offseason?’ We don’t have an offseason… Certainly not for us!”

To learn more about the Guardians’ medical team, how professional sports team care has changed over the years, preventative care for professional baseball players and his love of being a team physician and doing the right thing for the patient regardless of pressure from outside sources, read here.