Soon, the best athletes in the world will face each other at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Many of them will sustain injuries, or seek to prevent them, and will be thankful that among their entourages are some of the best sports medicine professionals in the world. When an athlete collapses from fatigue, or something else, there will be a group taking him or her off the field; that group may include a doctor, an orthopedist, or a nurse. Backstage, the athletes will be relying heavily on physiologists, physical therapists, athletic trainers and nutritionists to keep them in top form. But what is sports medicine? Sports medicine specializes in diagnosing, treating, and preventing injuries that are sports or exercise related. The term "sports medicine" was first coined in 1928 at the Olympics in St. Moritz, when a committee came together to plan the First Congress of Sports Medicine. Specialization includes medical physician, physiology, physical therapy, orthopedics, sports nutrition, and biomechanics. Since injuries can be caused by a number of factors, sports medicine can include various specialties, including cardiology, ophthalmology, surgery, pulmonology, traumatology, or rehabilitative medicine. This article discusses high school and postsecondary programs, as well as employment prospects, for those interested in pursuing a career in sports medicine.