August is “back to school” month for many people. For parents, it doesn’t just mean getting school supplies and new clothes for a new school year; it also means that fall sports are around the corner. With that in mind, this is the time of year that many students go to get their annual physical checkups.
Almost every school and sports team requires that students get a physical prior to tryouts or sign-ups. The main reason students are required to get these check-ups, is to see if there are any major health problems or issues that may need to be considered before joining the team. They may also want to discuss healthy habits and exercises that pertain to your specific sport. These tips may decrease the student’s chances of being injured.
Typically, the student or parent will complete a medical history form so that the physician or Medical Assistant can better gage what to be on the lookout for. Once that has been completed, the student will go through the exam: get their vitals taken (height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, pulse); get their vision checked; assess the student’s strength, joints, flexibility, and posture; then the physician will listen to the heart and lungs, then check the ears, nose and throat. Once everything has been evaluated, the physician will sign an approval for the student to tryout, look for options to allow the student to play their desired sport (so if the student has asthma and wants to join track team, the doctor may want to prescribe a stronger inhaler or an alternative solution for that student), or they may recommend that the student look into other activities due to the amount of physical stress on the body and the current health of the student.
If you have an interest in helping others and have been thinking about a career in the Medical field, you may want to consider becoming a Medical Assistant. MedQuest College offers an amazing Medical Assisting program that is completed in just 10 months, working with students from many different walks of life who need/want to make a meaningful and lasting career change. MedQuest College has classes that work with just about any schedule you have. Medical Assisting classes are 4 days a week, for 4 hours at a time. Click here for more information.