Concussion Management Specialist

BOC Credit Hours: 15

The CMS certificate program offered through Sports Medicine Concepts’ Academy has been designed to be a comprehensive and advanced on-line course of study addressing practical issues related to the full spectrum of care, management, and prevention of sports-related concussions (SRC). This program of study has been designed by, and is presented by, practicing sports health care professionals with a practical knowledge base who are dedicated to an interdisciplinary approach to care that has been demonstrated to improve outcomes for athletes that have sustained a SRC. Participants in this program who ultimately receive their certification are expected to have a similar disposition.

Course Objectives

1. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the mechanical forces and mechanisms of injury resulting in SRC.
2. Relate the neurometabolic cascade of concussion to acute and persistent post-concussion signs and symptoms.
3. Incorporate differential assessment in the acute injury setting to discern between traumatic brain injury and sports related concussion.
4. Understand the predictive value of sign and symptom patterns and how they can be used to direct management.
5. Express the influence that rest and physical and cognitive activity have on recovery.
6. Understand the appropriateness of symptom provocation during typical recovery, return to play, and complicated recovery management.
7. Develop an interdisciplinary concussion care circle approach to concussion management. 
8. Understand the various sub-systems that may complicate recovery and the disciplines that specialize in their management.
9. Recognize key indicators of a complicated recovery and identify appropriate referral.
10. Incorporate a thorough concussion recovery strategy that accounts for both physical and cognitive recovery.

Pre-requisites

Program participants will be sports health care professionals currently in good standing with their respective professional boards and who have completed a formal educational curriculum that includes entry-level sports concussion management principles.