Ringside physician in martial arts: is it something for you?

Bouts in kickboxing, muaythai and MMA take place under the supervision of a ringside physician. In return for a modest fee, these volunteers make it possible for thousands of people to practise their sport. Dutch martial arts needs more ringside physicians. Might this be something for you?

To work as a ringside physician you must at least have graduated as a general medical doctor (basisarts) and hold a registration in the Dutch register of healthcare professionals (BIG-registratie). The current pool of ringside physicians includes general medical doctors, doctors in specialist training, sports physicians, orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthetists, intensive care specialists, psychiatrists, general practitioners and occupational physicians.

The ringside physician is present at martial arts events and sees all participants before their bouts. Using a checklist, the physician assesses whether the athlete is fit to fight.

During bouts, the ringside physician assesses whether a participant can continue with a particular injury. The bout is stopped if medical safety cannot be guaranteed.

If an injury or wound is established after a bout, the ringside physician provides medical care or refers the athlete to the emergency department. Above all, he or she is the link between the athlete and specialised care, such as ambulance services or the out-of-hours general practitioner service.

Does becoming a ringside physician sound interesting to you? Have you graduated as a general medical doctor (basisarts) and do you hold a BIG registration? If so, contact the coordinator of Fighting Doctors, Dr Soeresh Bhatoe. He can tell you more. Through him you can also shadow an experienced ringside physician to get a taste of the work in practice.

If you decide to become active as a ringside physician, experienced colleagues will train you on the job. You will learn to work with the toolbox that has been developed for ringside physicians. The Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit (Dutch Martial Arts Authority) and the Nederlandse Vechtsportbond (Dutch Martial Arts Federation) organise annual refresher training and the exchange of experiences.

For more information, email Dr Soeresh Bhatoe at soereshbhatoe@gmail.com

Photo: Matthew Tosh, CC BY-SA 2.0