Not all Doctors are the same.

One of the biggest challenges Athletic Trainers face is dealing with the different types of Doctors.  Just because they are an MD does not mean they are trained to be able to treat sport related injuries.  To be trained in treating sport injuries it takes Doctors an extra year in their residency to specialize in Sports Medicine.  Usually Family Practitioners are not the best Doctors to see when you have a sport related injury, like a AC sprain (also known as a separated shoulder).  For example, their is a Family clinic within our area that will clear any athlete with any injury.  All they will do is look to see if the limbs are still attached.  In order for an athlete to be fully recovered they must have full range of motion around the injured sight.  Family clinics do not check this, and we have had many athletes be cleared by Family Practitioners when the athlete should still have a week to recover.  When this happens we will have the team Physician (usually an Orthopedic Surgeon)  reevaluate the injury and the team Physician will always make them wait the full recovery time.  The best Physician for an athlete to see is a Doctor who has taken the extra residency year and specialized in Sports Medicine, or an Orthopedic Surgeon.