Canadian Council of Sports Medicine

(CCSM)

Details on the education and examination requirements for Sports Medicine doctors, or and reasons why Sports Medicine doctors,  can play a vital role in the healthcare system.

Interest in alternative medicine has grown significantly over the last decade, creating a demand for alternative practitioners.  Three elements must be present to ensure that these healthcare professionals do not pose a threat to public health:

1. Practitioners must be educated at medical colleges that have been accredited by an agency recognized by the Alternative Medicine Examiners Council of Canada (AMECC);

2. Practitioners must be examined by a national examining board that sets high standards for eligibility and provides standardized test administration; board examinations must be developed in accordance with national testing standards; and

3. Practitioners must be licensed, required to take continuing education, and subject to peer review.

Several medical colleges and universities  are currently accredited by the Canadian Council of Sports Medicine (ccsm)..  The CCSM  is the only Sports Medicine accrediting body recognized by the Alternative Medicine Examiners Council of Canada (AMECC). 

The education of Sports Medicine doctors,  follows a path similar to that of medical doctors (MDs).  Applicants enter Sports Medicine medical school after receiving a baccalaureate degree (usually pre-med) from a four-year college.  Sports Medicine  physicians are Naturopathic Doctors, Osteopathic Doctors, or Chiropractic Doctors with a specialty in Sports medicine. Students complete two years of post-graduate basic science coursework then have two to three years of didactic and clinical training, including time spent in supervised patient care. 

The Canadian Council of Sports Medicine Examiners (CCEMS) uses the CCEMSX to examine all Sports Medicine doctors,  who want to be licensed in provinces that license.  The  Canadian Council of Sports Medicine  Examiners (CCEMSX) are criterion-referenced examinations.  Five Part I - Basic Science Examinations cover anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, and pathology.  The Part I Examinations are taken after the second year of training.  Eleven Part II - Clinical Science Examinations cover diagnosis using physical examination and lab testing, emergency and medical procedures, as well as Sports Medicine treatment modalities (botanical medicine, homeopathy, osteopathy, clinical nutrition, physical medicine, counseling & health psychology).  The CCEMS examinations are developed according to all the guidelines set forth in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing.

After graduation from the accredited  medical college and passage of Part II - Clinical Science Examinations, candidates apply to one of the  jurisdictions that have laws that enable licensed Sports Medicine physicians to serve their communities as providers of primary care medicine in Canada.  Licensed Sports Medicine doctors are required to obtain continuing education and are subject to peer review.

Prerequisite :

Doctorate in a related, SPORTS field,

 

 Doctor of Naturopathy, N.D., Sports Medicine, Evaluation and treatment in Sports Medicine,

• Products information 
• Anatomy, physiology, pathology of the athlete
• Certification in (CPR) cardiovascular reanimation
• First aid (specific to your sport)
• Nutrition of athletes
• Evaluation and treatments of sports injuries
• Prevention, rehabilitation and reinforcement

 

Doctor of Osteopathic, D.O.,  Sports Medicine, Evaluation and treatment in Sports Medicine, specialists of movements

• First aid (specific to your sport)
• Certification in (CPR) cardiovascular reanimation
• Techniques of Myo-Fascial Relaxation,
• Anatomy, physiology, pathology of the athlete
• Musculo-squeletic system
• Biomechanics,
• Prevention, rehabilitation and reinforcement
• Evaluation and treatments of sports injuries

Doctor of Chiropractic,  D.C.,  Sports Medicine, Evaluation and treatment in Sports Medicine, specialists of movements

• First aid (specific to your sport)
• Certification in (CPR) cardiovascular reanimation
• Musculo-squeletic system
• Anatomy, physiology, pathology of the athlete
• Biomechanics,
• Prevention of back injuries
• Evaluation and treatments of the spinal cord

• Prevention, rehabilitation and reinforcement
• Evaluation and treatments of sports injuries

Doctor of Ergonomy  Ph.D., Sports Medicine, field of the science of exercise, specialists of movements

• First aid (specific to your sport)
• Anatomy, physiology, pathology of the athlete
• Certification in (CPR) cardiovascular reanimation
• Musculo-squeletic system
• Science of exercise
• Kinesiology

• Biomechanics,
• Sedentary and effective muscular drive.
• Evaluation

Doctor of Psychotherapy, Ph.D., Sports Medicine, Evaluation and treatment of psychological problems

• Stress, teamwork, reaching your goals, better concentration,
• Various pathologies or symptoms of the athlete,
• Psychic, emotional affections
• Depression, burn-out
• Certification in (CPR) cardiovascular reanimation
• Clarification of the mechanisms of defense and modifications of the beliefs
• Evaluation and treatments
• Prevention, rehabilitation and reinforcement

 

These doctors specialize on a high level of expertise whether  in the sports environment or in their private clinics,They are recognized bythe  "Canadian Council of Sports Medicine" (CCSM).
 

Doctors of Sports Medicine

• Sports Medicine is a  specialty  in which ensures a therapeutic follow-up and specific therapies aiming at improving the health of the athletes.

 

NATUROPATHIC ORGANIZATION WEBSITES    

Alternative Medicine Examiners Council of Canada (AMECC)

Canadian Council of Sports Medicine Examiners (CCEMS)

Naturopathic Medicine Council of Canada (NMCC)

Conseil des Examinateurs en Naturopathie du Québec (CENQ)

Collège de Naturopathie du Québec à Montréal (CNQM)

Syndicat Professionnel des Thérapeutes en Médecine Sportif du Québec

Syndicat Professionnel des Thérapeutes du Sport du Québec (SPTSQ)

Le Syndicat Professionnel des Naturopathes du Québec (SPNQ)

Corporation des Praticiens en Médecines Douces du Nouveau Brunswick

Corporation des Praticiens en Médecines Douces de la Nouvelle Écosse

Corporation of Practitioners in Natural Medicine (Nouvelle Écosse)

Corporation des Praticiens en Médecines Douces du Québec (CPMDQ)

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

During the first 2 ½ - 3 years of medical school, the education of Naturopathic Doctors, Osteopathic Doctors, or Chiropractic Doctors follows a path similar to that of medical doctors (MDs). Students in both allopathic and naturopathic medical colleges receive extensive training in the biomedical sciences, and in physical, clinical, and lab diagnosis.  Both receive training in emergency procedures, public health, and principles of pharmacology.   The naturopathic colleges use standard medical texts for this phase of the training.  The paths of naturopathic medical education and allopathic medical education diverge after this point.  MDs learn how to prescribe drugs and perform or refer for surgery.  NDs, DOs, and DCs, learn how to use herbs, clinical nutrition, physical medicine (e.g., hydrotherapy, soft tissue massage, osseous manipulation, osteopathy, psychotherapy, etc.), homeopathy, and mind-body medicine.

Four keys differences distinguish the naturopathic approach from the approach used by allopathic doctors (MDs):

• Emphasis on prevention

• Search for and treatment of the cause of illness (as compared to an approach that treats the symptoms of the illness)

• Individualized treatment (e.g. two patients being treated for the same pathology may have completely different treatment protocols)

• A goal of removing obstacles to the body’s own innate healing processes (as compared to the idea that “cure” must come from external sources)

Doctors of Sports Medicine  License Requirements

Doctors of Sports Medicine : Initial License Requirements

• Submit a Doctors of Sports Medicine  license application & pay the required license fee;

• Possess a good moral and professional reputation;

• Be physically and mentally fit to practice naturopathic medicine;

• Graduate from a naturopathic medical college that is accredited by the Council or another such accrediting agency recognized by the federal government; or graduate from a foreign country naturopathic medical college that possesses equivalent qualifications; and

• Successfully complete the Canadian Council of Sports Medicine Examiners (CCSME) examinations.

The Naturopathic Medicine Council of Canada (NMCC)'s mission is to ensure the high quality of naturopathic medical education in Canada through the voluntary accreditation of four-year, graduate-level programs in naturopathic medicine. Students and graduates of programs accredited or pre-accredited (candidacy) by NMCC are eligible to apply for the naturopathic licensing examinations administered by the Canadian Council of Naturopathic Examiners (CCNE).

Founded in 1991, (NMCC) is accepted as the programmatic accrediting agency for naturopathic medical education by the naturopathic colleges and programs in Canada, by the Canadian national naturopathic professional syndicates, and by (AMECC); NMCC advocates for high standards in naturopathic education, and its grant of accreditation to a college or program indicates prospective students and the public may have confidence in the college or program. The NMCC is the national accrediting agency for programs leading to the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (N.D. or N.M.D.) or Doctor of Naturopathy (N.D.) degree.

An accreditation handbook, containing CCSM standards, policies, procedures, and governing documents, is available for $20, prepaid. A free PDF version is available by e-mail upon request. The PDF file  may be opened and printed with Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free download.

CCSM also certifies postdoctoral programs in naturopathic medicine. Among these programs are naturopathic residencies that provide licensed naturopathic physicians with postgraduate training in naturopathic family care and other specialties. A manual containing CCSM 's standards for residency programs may be ordered for $15, prepaid. A free PDF version is available by e-mail.

CCSM  is a member of the Alternative Medicine Examiners Council of Canada (AMECC) and abides by the CPMDQ Code of Good Practice.

The accredited and candidate naturopathic medicine programs, as well as the certified residency programs, are listed on the links page. After accessing the links page, click the name of the program or its logo to go to the Website for the college or university that offers the program.

For frequently asked questions, click "FAQs" on the menu.

CCSM's next meeting will be held April 8 & 9, 2006, Montreal, Québec, Canada.