I am not an athlete. Can I still see a Sport & Exercise Medicine Physician?
- Great question. Yes, we see anyone. Young or old. Active or sedentary. You don’t even need to play sport.
Is a Sport & Exercise Medicine (SEM) Physician a medical doctor?
- Yes, SEM physicians are medical doctors who have completed medical school, junior hospital years, and have completed the Australasian College of Sport & Exercise Physicians (ACSEP) specialist training program and exams.
How do I book an appointment with Dr Kimberley Wells?
- Dr Wells is currently working with the ACT Brumbies Rugby team and elite athletes at the Australian Institute of Sport. As such she is not currently available to see private patients. We will let you know if this changes! To find your nearest sport and exercise physician, please use the “find a sport & exercise physician” tab on the ACSEP website.
How long has does it take to become a Sport & Exercise Medicine Physician?
- A minimum of 13 years.
- In this time the individual completes their university medical degree, internship, resident and senior resident years within the hospital system, plus their research publication, a minimum of four years as a registrar, two sets of specialist exams and the other requirements of the ACSEP specialist program.
What is a Physician versus a Surgeon?
- Generally we talk about Physicians and Surgeons to describe types of medical specialist doctors.
- A Physician manages conditions without operations.
- A Surgeon manages conditions with operations.
What is a Physician in Sport & Exercise Medicine (SEM)?
- SEM Physicians manage acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions, taking into account your medical history.
- A SEM Physician is a medical specialist.
What is a Registrar?
- A Registrar is a medical doctor, who is working and training within a specialist medical field.
- The earliest a doctor can become a registrar is with two years of general hospital training completed. For SEM the minimum general training is three years prior to potential acceptance onto the program.
- A registrar is a member of a specialist medical college and must complete a rigorous set of requirements and specialist exams generally over 4-5 years to become a specialist doctor I.e. Physician, Emergency Specialist, Cardiologist, Obstetrician etc…
Do I need a GP referral?
- Registrars in SEM do NOT need a GP referral but we appreciate any letters from your physio/doctors to better understand your individual situation.
- Consultant specialists DO require a GP/medical specialist referral as per Medicare.
Do I need to have medical imaging prior to my appointment?
- No, we are more than happy to assess your individual case and request the appropriate medical imaging.
- If you have already had scans, we appreciate you telling us in advance, so that we have time to access and review your case.
What do I bring to my appointment?
- Please bring a singlet/camisole & shorts.
- We perform examinations in much the same way as physiotherapist, and thus you need to be able to move.
- Referral letters from your GP/physio.
- Contact details for anyone you would like to know about your injury. I.e. physio, GP, coach, strength & conditioning.
How quickly can I get an appointment?
- There are acute injury clinics, generally on a Monday afternoon, particularly for weekend sporting injuries such as acute knee injury, concussion, or, other acute conditions.
- It is preferable for you to contact the clinic during business hours to allow triage your case.
- We do our best to provide options for acute appointment slots for injuries that cannot wait.
How long is my appointment?
- Initial appointments range from 30-40 minutes depending upon the complexity of your case.
- Follow up appointments range from 20-30 minutes depending upon the complexity of your case.
Do Sport & Exercise Medicine Physicians work in the public health care system, or, private practice?
- SEM Physicians primarily work in private practice in Australia, with only a handful working within our public hospital system.
- Private practice patients pay out of pocket to see their specialist.
- Medicare provides a rebate to the patient for the provision of the private specialist services.
Can you please explain the Medicare rebate for Sport & Exercise Physicians?
- The rebate is a proportion of the fee that is paid back to the patient from the Government when they see a medical specialist.
- The Australian Government through Medicare determines the rebate they will provide to see certain medical specialists.
- Medicare rebates for Sport & Exercise Medicine Physicians have improved since July 1st, 2025.
Do Sport & Exercise Physicians work with sporting teams and institutes?
- Yes, SEM Physicians may also work within state or national sporting institutes (I.e. Australian Institute of Sport, ACT Academy of Sport, Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS), NSW Institute of Sport) and with sporting teams both nationally and internationally.
- SEM Physicians work with local sporting clubs, state and national teams, in both the amateur and professional ranks, as well as with Olympic and Paralympic sports.
What does, “Exercise is Medicine”, mean to my life?
- There is strong evidence that exercise can prevent and reduce the complications and all-cause mortality (risk of dying) from many chronic diseases and cancers.
- Exercise reduces your risk of bowel, breast and prostate cancer, and, improves patient outcomes in those receiving cancer treatments.
- The Australian Exercise Guidelines recommend that Australian adults achieve 150 minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise and two strength sessions per week.
What is ACSEP?
- ACSEP is the Australasian College of Sport & Exercise Medicine Physicians
- ACSEP is a specialist medical college within Australia & New Zealand, recognized in Australia since 2009
- For further information: ACSEP
Ethos
Excellence in Sport & Exercise Medicine.
Welcoming all ages, abilities, able bodied or those with a disability, whether you identify as an athlete or not.
Dr Kimberley Wells 