The 2024 USMST Physicians Soccer Summit
Play Soccer! Earn CME credits! Network! Make lifelong friendships!
Introduction
As physicians, we inherently lead a hectic lifestyle devoted to caring for our patients and improving the health of society. Sacrifices made while getting through our education and training persist throughout our lives as we balance our profession with family, social obligations, and if we’re lucky, leisure. You are in a unique and exclusive cohort as a soccer playing physician. Studies have confirmed that years of long days, sleepless nights, and mental exhaustion invariably lead most physicians into sedentary lifestyles or the abyss of golf. Soccer is considered one of the most physically demanding sports on the planet, however it is widely being hailed as a sport that can lead to sustained physical and mental benefits if played over the course of a lifetime.
The US Medical Soccer Team has brought together like-minded physicians passionate about soccer since 2010. Our team has competed around the globe in the annual World Medical Football Championships (“The Physicians World Cup”), representing the United States in an international physicians soccer tournament, while also committing our organization to education and community service. We are now excited to bring our passions to more physicians around the United States.
The Event
The Physicians Soccer Summit is a three day event for physicians focused on friendship, soccer, and education. Participants will be divided into teams and compete in a round-robin format soccer tournament, playing three games total with unlimited substitutions. Plenty of practice time with the USMST coaches will enhance your skills. A medical conference, “The USMST Congress on Sport and Health”, will accompany the soccer and provide a forum for participants to interact professionally, network, and disseminate knowledge. Each evening will bring social activities geared towards participants and significant others, focused on friendship and team building.
Dates: February 9-11, 2024 (start February 9 at 8:00am, end by noon on February 11)
Location: Costa Mesa and Irvine, California
Venues:
This link will also allow you to book your hotel room at our discounted rate.
Cost: $500 per physician. This is an inclusive cost for this 3 day event and includes soccer jerseys, Saturday breakfast and dinner, conference registration and CME credits. Additional fees through the Eventbrite registration service are not included (approximately $30).
The Soccer
All registrants will be placed on a team based on age, experience, and position. We will have both an Open and Masters (45 and over) division. Our experienced coaches will be working with each team in practice sessions and the games to ensure an outstanding soccer experience. Each player will participate in three full games over the weekend (each half lasting 30-40 minutes, depending on team numbers). The last game will end by 12pm on Sunday, February 11th. All matches will take place at the Orange County Great Park. Games will be mostly on high quality grass pitches, though it is possible some games will be played on synthetic grass/turf fields as well (plastic molded cleats appropriate for both fields) .
The Congress
The USMST Congress on Sport and Health will take place on Saturday morning prior to the soccer matches at the Hilton Costa Mesa. Participants will get to share in a networking breakfast and be engaged in a number of outstanding presentations centered on sports-related health topics. Participants will be encouraged to submit abstracts, and selected presentations will be given an incredible opportunity to address the Congress, along with selected guest keynote speakers. AMA Category 1 CME credits will be awarded to all attendees.
If you want to present at this year’s Congress, you can let us know in the Eventbrite registration form!
Here is an agenda from our 2019 PSS– we’re sure to have a similar slate of outstanding talks this year!:
2019 USMST Congress on Health and Sport
1)Soccer Players’ Cancer Ignites Debate Over Turf Safety
Chris Grybauskas MD FAAP
Pediatric Hospitalist
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Children’s Center
2) Managing Hypertension in Athletes
Ali Ibrahim, MD
3) Management of Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction in Athletes
Iman Rofoogaran, MD
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Medicine
The Permanente Medical Group
Walnut Creek, California
4) Soccer Injuries on Turf vs Grass: Is their a difference?
David Milzman, MD FACEP
Professor of Emergency Medicine
George Washington University School of Medicine
5) Precision Health and Sport Science
Dermot Kelleher MD, FRCPI, FRCP, FMedSci
Professor, Department of Medicine
Dean, Faculty of Medicine
Vice President, Health
University of British Columbia
6) Arrhythmogenic Ventricular Cardiomyopathies and Athletes
Jerry Sterkowicz M.D., FACC
Noninvasive and Imaging Cardiologist
OhioHealth Heart & Vascular Physicians, Columbus, OH
7) The Vaccine Communicable Diseases in Sports
Jeff Madachy DO
Clinical Assistant Professor Family Medicine
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
8) Patellar Tendon Injuries in Soccer
Sam Frenkel MD
UCSD Emergency Medicine PGY3
9) Football is Medicine: Football and Diabetes Prevention Study
Felipe Lobelo MD
Associate Professor of Global Health
Emory University
Senior consultant population health research
The Southeast Permanente Medical Group; Kaiser Permanente Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
10) Does Use of ADHD Medications Improve Athletic Performance in Pediatric Patients?
Edgar M. Jiménez, BSc MD FRCPC
Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics
Medical Director, The Asante Centre for FASD and other Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Maple Ridge, BC
Clinical Instructor, Dept of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver,
Social Events
The weekend is filled with many opportunities to socialize with like-minded physicians. USMST is committed to the community, and a Friday morning outreach event in support of our program “Healthy, Fit and Smart” will give all participants an opportunity to use their healthcare skills to educate local middle schoolers while team building with their new teammates. A Friday evening happy hour and a gala dinner on Saturday night will be a great opportunities to socialize and enjoy Southern California hospitality. An awards ceremony after the last matches on Sunday will conclude this great weekend of soccer, education and friendship.
Take part in a unique and fun event for physicians passionate about soccer, education and friendship. You won’t want to miss it. Spots are limited so register now!
Interested in playing for USMST in the 2023 World Medical Football Championships?
Each year, USMST competes in the World Medical Football Championship (The Physicians World Cup), which brings us together for an incredible week of international soccer, medical education and most importantly, fun. We field two squads: An Open team and a Masters (45 and over) team. In order to be considered for either squad, you must attend the Physicians Soccer Summit, commit to attending two additional practice weekends, and of course, join us for the full week in Vienna, Austria, the site of the 2023 World Medical Football Championships. Team dues to join the team in Austria will be an additional $1000-$1200 per physician, which covers the two additional practices, team entry fees for the WMFC, coaching expenses, and miscellaneous team costs. If you’re interested, block the dates and come to Irvine, CA for the Physicians Soccer Summit, which is the first step. We have very limited spots on the team, but we are always looking for new friends to join us.
Preliminary Schedule for the 2024 Physicians Soccer Summit
Details subject to change!
Friday, February 9, 2024
7am-8am: Registration
9am-11am: Outreach Event, details to be announced.
1pm-3pm: Team Practice Sessions / Great Park
3pm-4:30pm: Soccer Match 1 / Great Park
4:30pm-7:30pm: Social function / TBA
Saturday, February 10, 2024
8am-11am: Congress (Breakfast served) / Hilton Costa Mesa
12pm- 1:30pm: Team Practice Sessions / Great Park
1:30pm – 2:30pm: Lunch / Break
2:30pm – 4:30pm: Soccer Match 2 / Great Park
7pm -11pm: Group Social Event / Gala Dinner, Hilton Costa Mesa
Sunday, February 11, 2024
8am-11am: Soccer Match 3 / Great Park
11am – 12pm: Awards Ceremony
