People walk by posters to promote the Olympic Games, in Tokyo. Photo: AP/Koji Sasahara
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280 sports doctors apply for 200 spots needed for Tokyo Olympics

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Uh. Why did they do this? They caved just like the typical Japanese do. They are NOT supposed to do this! They are supposed to be AGAINST this...unless this is just propaganda to make people "think" they are signing up in hopes that people really will do it and "follow the others".

21 ( +25 / -4 )

I smell propaganda.

Perhaps the other 80 doctors can help make up for the shortfall of 500 nurses.

23 ( +23 / -0 )

The sources said the doctors will mainly be orthopedists and dentists and will take part in the early stages of clinical examinations.

Dentist? Any available dentist should be put for inoculation, since nurse is not eligible to do inoculation in Japan.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/04/19/national/dentists-coronavirus-vaccine/

18 ( +18 / -0 )

In 2 words "LDP toadies"

19 ( +19 / -0 )

To be fair they are sports doctors, this is not exactly the kind of people that will become essential even if the public health situation deteriorates more. And it is understandable since every one of them can "boast" of being an active participant of the Olympic games, which would be a plus for people in their field.

5 ( +15 / -10 )

To be fair they are sports doctors, this is not exactly the kind of people that will become essential even if the public health situation deteriorates more. 

A doctor is a doctor, no matter their specialty, and these doctors COULD be put to better use distributing the vaccine instead of waiting around to see IF an athlete gets hurt or needs a doctor!

20 ( +22 / -2 )

The sources said the doctors will mainly be orthopedists and dentists and will take part in the early stages of clinical examinations.

Let me ask, who has ever heard of a "sports dentist?"

14 ( +18 / -4 )

They should be vaccinating the general public.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Sounds like 280 doctors need to take another look at the Hippocratic Oath.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

Uh. Why did they do this? They caved just like the typical Japanese do. They are NOT supposed to do this! They are supposed to be AGAINST this...unless this is just propaganda to make people "think" they are signing up in hopes that people really will do it and "follow the others".

My wild guess is that many applicants are private doctors not engaging in corona treatment. Currently they have free time with a fewer outpatients due to the pandemic.

Without a stronger SOE or martial law-type, the government can't force private doctors to work in the frontline for covid. Or if they have to choose, they may feel it better, more beneficial or honorable to serve for the Olympics.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

The sources said the doctors will mainly be orthopedists and dentists and will take part in the early stages of clinical examinations.

Let me ask, who has ever heard of a "sports dentist?"

Sports dentistry is a relatively new field. Many professional teams or top athletes hire a sports dentist who must look after sport-related orofacial injuries. Healthy teeth and gums are significant for performance.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

For sports doctors, this is a chance

-11 ( +2 / -13 )

Propaganda to draw attention away from the nurse scandal!

Not to mention, these sports doctors are simply trying to get a boast for their resumes, so they can get business from professional sports team in the future or even high school teams.

That is what their focus is on. Future profits from sports team contracts or individual athletes.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

"280 sports doctors apply for 200 spots needed for Tokyo Olympics"

so much for the myth that Japanese health care workers were opposed to the Olympics.

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

These are sports doctors and physical therapists which are quite different than physicians. Although I believe the games should be cancelled I do not think that having these people at the games would have such an impact.

The games themselves? That is a different story. Will be a huge diversion or resources.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Pure propaganda and doctors kissing up to the elite in order to not be forgotten later. They should be ashamed

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Volunteering?????!!!!!!

When we're in a pandemic?

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Ok, they are doing the Olympics. So what? They can't give out VAX for the next 6 weeks while they wait?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Heh, more doctors applying to help out than spots available. This is great news for the 10's of millions of us around the world who are looking forward to watching the Summer Olympiad. Bring on the Tokyo Olympics!!!

-16 ( +0 / -16 )

The chiropractors get a nice plaque probably, and they can put in their office and show off to their clients. For dentists, its more or less a chance to get free chance to view the games, considering the athletes are supposed to leave after their events, the chances of cavities is probably pretty low. Depends if Coca Cola has free all you can drink soda machines in the Athletes village.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Fast facts:

Doctors in Japan can say they are specialists in any discipline. There are no rules after you become a doctor. Any doctor can hang out a shingle that says they are an OB/Gyn or, internal medicine specialist.

Chiropractors are not recognized in Japan and are not licensed. You can hang a shingle out tomorrow and say that you are a chiropractor. These people set up office near US military bases because Americans think it's real.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

In general, a "sports doctor" is an MD, most usually specialized, who has the extra title tacked on to his/her resume. Few, if any, so-called sports doctors are engaged in sports doctoring full time. Only when a designated team is playing in a locality do regular physicians become sports doctors. When an athlete is injured a group of sport doctors leaps into action and get the athlete to as prime condition as possible so that he or she can run or whatever. It is a luxury repair job that we mere morals can only wish for.

Right now, we do not need sports doctors. We need regular doctors who can save us from the pandemic.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Peter,

thank you for that info. I can not say it shakes my confidence in Japanese medical professionals because I already had none but still, very good to know. And scary.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Considering vaccine roll out in Japan and the fact that IOC set a deal to vaccinate people involved in the olympics, could it be possible that part of the volunteer thought it would be their only chance to get vaccinated in a reasonable amount time ?

Also considering their specialty can some of them have thought that they will be less needed to deal with the pandemics than doctors which will end up being designated volunteer if nobody applied ?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Don't be quick to blame regular doctors... Regular doctors are 内科。

Sports doctors are 整形外科(せいけいげか). These are the doctors whom you visit when you have injuries, sprained your ankle, break a bone, or... when you have rheumatoid arthritis, or for rehabilitation. In my experience, some of them don't even make a cast...they dire-ct you elsewhere. 

They don't treat fevers or pneumonia.

This is just a PR article to show that doctors  are accepting of the Olympics.

But I think, if Japan is running short of medical personnel for vaccination, they can use these doctors for vaccination, since they are qualified.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Eisenach

so much for the myth that Japanese health care workers were opposed to the Olympics.

Sports doctors are not considered essential healthcare workers like nurses or other types of doctors!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

My experience with sports doctors in Japan is disappointing, so I think as positive that they will be busy doing something else instead of treating serious patients.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

That's good, need to get these Olympics over a done with. Hopefully they can get vaccinated as they'll be at risk.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

These are sports doctors and physical therapists which are quite different than physicians.

No they are not. A sport doctor is still an MD. That is like saying a cardiologist is not a physician.

phy·si·cian-a person qualified to practice medicine.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Sakurasuki....

Dentist? Any available dentist should be put for inoculation, since nurse is not eligible to do inoculation in Japan.

This is not correct. Qualified nurses can and are giving the vaccine, this is not just for covid.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

How many applied for the 500 nurses spots?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Volunteers?

Since when do doctors volunteer except in dire times?

Surely there are millions of patients with joint pain,right?

The doctors in Japan must not have much to be getting on with...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

virusrexMay 12  07:42 am JST

To be fair they are sports doctors, this is not exactly the kind of people that will become essential even if the public health situation deteriorates more. And it is understandable since every one of them can "boast" of being an active participant of the Olympic games, which would be a plus for people in their field.

hm. I get what you are saying but I don't think I would be proud to say I was a sport doctor at the 2021 Summer Olympic Games. To me that would just seem like a selfish reason and how much weight would that actually have? To be a sport doctor at an event during a pandemic where pretty much all of the citizens of the hosting country is against having it? Not sure I'd want that on my resume. But that's just me. :-)

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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