Sports medicine is the fastest growing physician specialty, growing by 42.5 percent between 2016 and 2021, according to the 2022 Physician Specialty Data Report from the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Here are six power players in the growing field:
Anastasia Fischer, MD: President of the American College of Sports Medicine
Dr. Fischer is the president of the American College of Sports Medicine for the 2022-23 term and treats patients at Dublin (Ohio) Sports Medicine and Orthopedics Center.
She is also a member of the division of sports medicine at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and on the faculty of the Ohio State University College of Medicine as a clinical associate professor of pediatrics, according to her biography for Nationwide Children's.
Bill Roberts, MD: Chief Medical Officer of the American College of Sports Medicine
Dr. Roberts was appointed chief medical officer of ACSM on March 9. He is responsible for overseeing the organization's clinical strategy and providing guidance for member and industry stakeholder issues, according to a news release announcing his appointment.
Dr. Roberts is a long-term member of the organization, serving as president for the 2004-05 term. He is also a practicing family medicine physician and treats a variety of activity-related conditions, including running injuries and concussions.
Mark Stovak, MD: President of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
Dr. Stovak has served as president of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine since April and is currently the sports medicine fellowship assistant director at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine.
He has held a variety of leadership roles within the NCAA, including chair of its Committee on Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sport and chair of the its Drug Test Appeals Subcommittee.
Christopher Olivia, MD: CEO of Rothman Orthopaedics
Dr. Olivia is CEO of Rothman Orthopaedics, the largest musculoskeletal practice in the country. He was appointed to the role in August 2021 after serving as CEO of six health-related entities.
Dr. Olivia helped conceive and plan the Cooper Medical School at Rowan University in Camden, N.J., in addition to leading Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health's merger with Highmark. He is also a board-certified ophthalmologist.
Michael Ciccotti, MD: Director of Sports Medicine of Rothman Orthopedics
Dr. Ciccotti currently serves as chief of the division of sports medicine and director of sports medicine fellowship and research at Rothman Orthopaedics and the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
He is also chair of the Major League Baseball Medical Advisory Committee and has been head team physician and medical director for the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team and Saint Joseph's University athletics for over 25 years.
In addition, Dr. Ciccotti is the president of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and the Orthopaedic Learning Center board of directors.
Michael Stuart, MD: Director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Research program
Dr. Stuart serves as director of the sports medicine research program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He is also the chair of the division of sports medicine in the department of orthopedic surgery and is a professor of orthopedics.
He is the recipient of the 2014 O'Donoghue Sports Injury Research Award from the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and has served as a member of the editorial board for the American Journal of Sports Medicine since 2007.
Dr. Stuart also served as president of the Herodicus Society from 2021 to 2022.