Hey folks,
I’m 49, TR athlete, live in the DC area. Looking for a primary care physician with knowledge and experience working with endurance athletes.
My current primary care doc just went to the concierge model ($2500/year to provide “better service” and more access). He was clueless on athletes. I’m now looking for a new doc.
I would be happy to pay for a concierge doc who focused on athletes. Or find a practice that works with athletes.
Like anything in the healthcare world, navigating choice is very hard to figure out.
My PCP has a sub speciality in sports medicine. You could try and include that criteria in your search. Does not mean they have endurance specific training, but at least you can expect they had some sports related experience as they went through their education.
As an alternative to finding someone new…My PCP is not specifically trained in sports or even supplements, like creatine, and how these affect labs and overall health and wellness. However, we have a close relationship, and I provide him with the science I have found so that he can evaluate my information with a new understanding. For instance, we have talked about timing my labs after a rest week and stopping certain supplements a week before the labs so that he can see more clearly what my body is doing naturally and without the added stress. So, maybe you can approach your doctor to engage in this type of relationship. I also recommend coming to your appointments prepared with bullet point facts about your workouts and supplements that can be communicated in 1 minute or less. I have shown my training calendar from TR on the app which is a concrete record of the training stress I am under. I don’t go day by day, but a quick scroll can tell a story. Unfortunately, I feel like I am cramming for a test and would like to not have to interrupt what I feel is the most healthy and productive course for myself by stopping training and supplements so that he feels good about my lab values.
My PCP specialized in Sports Medicine and works with the local sports teams. He has contacts/relationships with others who have extensive experience in different areas. I’d look for someone like that. Even if you don’t choose the first one you find, they should be able to refer you to someone who meets your needs.