ABPMR Sports Medicine study plan

Map the knee exam: draw a one-page decision tree linking mechanism of injury to the four ligament tests, three meniscal tests, and the Ottawa-style rule-out for fracture

Compare and contrast shoulder instability versus rotator cuff pathology by listing five history features and four exam maneuvers that separate them

Build a 40-item flashcard deck of knee and shoulder special tests, writing the sensitivity, specificity, and best-use setting for each

Practice a full 12-minute shoulder and knee exam out loud, timing yourself, on two separate days

Diagram hip and pelvis anatomy as it relates to femoroacetabular impingement, labral tears, and adductor/groin pain, labeling six provocation tests

Explain lumbar spondylolysis and discogenic pain in the young athlete, distinguishing them by age, sport, and four exam findings

Summarize the six compartments of the leg and the exam findings that separate exertional compartment syndrome from medial tibial stress syndrome

Write ten original vignettes (knee, shoulder, hip, spine, foot/ankle) with a single best answer and a two-sentence rationale for each

Identify, on a labeled diagram you draw from memory, the four rotator cuff tendons, the long head of biceps, and the standard ultrasound transducer positions for each

Describe the technique, indications, and three risks for glenohumeral, subacromial, and knee joint injections

Interpret ten normal and abnormal musculoskeletal ultrasound images by naming the structure and the pathology aloud without prompts

Rank the top eight sideline emergencies by time-to-treatment and list the first three actions for each

Differentiate the four causes of exertional collapse (cardiac, heat, hyponatremia, hypoglycemia) using history, temperature, and mental status in a written comparison table

Explain the preparticipation cardiac screening elements: the 14-point history, physical exam components, and when to order an ECG

Summarize return-to-play rules for mononucleosis, infectious skin conditions (tinea, impetigo, herpes gladiatorum), and acute illness with fever

Compare exercise recommendations for athletes with type 1 diabetes, asthma, and sickle cell trait, listing two precautions for each

Derive and recite the Fick equation, the lactate threshold concept, and the difference between VO2max and ventilatory threshold

Interpret a nine-panel exercise test (heart rate, blood pressure, ECG, workload, symptoms) and write a four-sentence report for three practice tracings

Apply the ACSM exercise prescription framework by writing a 12-week aerobic and resistance program for a deconditioned masters athlete

Explain the physiology of heat acclimatization and altitude acclimatization, listing the timeline and three measurable adaptations for each

Build a sport-specific preparticipation evaluation checklist covering history, cardiac screen, musculoskeletal screen, and clearance decision points

Evaluate and grade a concussion using SCAT-style domains, and write a stepwise return-to-learn then return-to-play progression

Design an 8-week rehabilitation progression for a lateral ankle sprain and for a grade II hamstring strain, specifying criteria at each stage

Justify return-to-play decisions for ACL reconstruction, shoulder instability, and cervical stingers using objective criteria rather than time alone

Re-audit weeks 4 and 6 notes and convert every weak fact into an active-recall prompt

Integrate dermatologic, hematologic, and infectious conditions into sport-specific return-to-play scenarios in five original vignettes

Practice 25 mixed questions in a timed block, then review every miss and record the underlying knowledge gap

Teach one topic aloud (e.g., sickle cell trait in the athlete) for eight minutes as if to a resident, without notes

Complete two 100-question timed mixed exams under exam conditions and score each by domain

Re-drill only the subdomains scoring below 70% until a repeat block reaches 80% or higher

Recite the ten highest-yield emergency and procedure facts from memory on two separate days

Write a final one-page summary of personal weak spots and the specific facts needed to fix each