For Referrers

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
  • Pre-eminent professional body representing Sport and Exercise Physicians and Sport and Exercise Medicine in Australasia
  • ACSEP encompasses the physician side of orthopaedic medicine
  • For further information, see ACSEP.

What patients do I refer to a sport & exercise medicine physician?

  • Any musculoskeletal/orthopaedic issue, young or old, sporty or sedentary.
  • Further information; please see “services page” and/or the ACSEP referrer guide.

What can I expect from your services?

  • A detailed musculoskeletal and medical assessment of your patient
  • Clarity in interpretation of medical imaging
  • Confirmation of diagnosis
  • Up to date evidence-based treatment and management plans
  • Patient education
  • Swift electronic correspondence to GP and other medical and allied health providers

Can I refer to Dr Kimberley Wells at this time?

Dr Wells is currently working with the ACT Brumbies Rugby team and elite athletes only 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.

Do I need to request medical imaging for my patient?

  • No, we are more than happy to assess the individual case and request the appropriate medical imaging.
  • If you have already requested scans, we appreciate you telling us the radiology company in advance, so that we have time to access and review.

What is a Sport & Exercise Medicine Physician?

A Sport and Exercise Physician is a specialist medical practitioner who provides skill and expertise in:

  • providing an accurate diagnosis of musculoskeletal injuries;
  • addressing the causes, treatment and prevention of musculoskeletal injury and medical problems related to physical activity and sport;
  • leadership for multidisciplinary teams and organisations dealing with athletes and those wishing to exercise;
  • promotion of health for all stages of life through suitable use of exercise and physical activity;
  • safe and effective use of physical activity in the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries and many chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, mental illness and cancer;
  • sport and exercise issues with adolescents, younger people, pregnancy and those with a disability; and
  • the appropriate use of medications and supplements in sport.

 A Sport and Exercise Physician possesses specialist expertise in general medicine, orthopaedics, radiology and rehabilitation plus allied sport sciences including nutrition, biomechanics, exercise physiology and sports psychology. All Sport and Exercise Physicians have experience looking after elite athletes and apply these principles to the management of all patients, whether they are recreational athletes, manual workers or those with chronic diseases simply wanting to safely increase their activity levels.

How quickly can my patient get an appointment?

  • We run acute injury clinics, generally on a Monday afternoon, particularly for weekend sporting injuries such as acute knee injury or concussion.
  • Our preference is for the patient to contact the clinic to allow us to triage their case.
  • We do our best to provide some acute appointment slots for injuries that cannot wait.

How long are the appointments?

  • Generally, initial appointments range from 30-40 minutes depending upon the complexity of the case.
  • Generally, follow up appointments range from 20-30 minutes depending upon the complexity of the 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 when they see a medical specialist.
  • The Australian Government through Medicare determines the rebate they will provide to see certain medical specialists.

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, 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 patient’s 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 the risk of at least 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.

How did ACSEP start as a medical college?

Since its humble beginnings in 1985, from a small group of 19 passionate like-minded individuals, as the Australian College of Sports Physicians, the College has always been progressive in its thinking. In 1991, the College awarded its first Fellowships. In 1992, the College began training its own Registrars in private practice, a pioneering training model which continues to this day. In 1993, our New Zealand colleagues joined the College, with the name changing to Australasian College of Sport Physicians in 2005.

Importantly, the College gained speciality recognition in New Zealand in 1998 and then finally from the Australian Medical Council (AMC) in Australia in 2009. As of 2024 the College now numbers 220 Fellows practicing in all corners of the globe and a record 70 Registrars undergoing a robust training program in all regions of Australia, New Zealand and beyond.

A special resolution was passed at the Annual General Meeting on 14 February 2016 to change the name of the College to the Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians (ACSEP). The members of the College felt that a name change was needed to accurately reflect who we were and what our scope of practice is. Sport and Exercise Physicians work closely with general practitioners, physicians, radiologists, psychiatrists and surgeons, particularly orthopaedic surgeons, as well as our allied health professionals to lead and coordinate rehabilitation and exercise programs to treat, as well as prevent, chronic diseases.

The Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians (ACSEP) has been delighted with the increase in Medicare rebates to patients seeing SEM Physicians. Following a Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review by the Department of Health and Aged Care, Specialist Sport & Exercise Physicians have been reclassified as consultant physicians, aligning them with other specialists (like cardiologists and neurologists) under the MBS. These changes came into effect from July 1st 2025.

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.

Locations

Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)

ACT Brumbies Rugby