Job Description Sport & Exercise Medicine Physician
ChangePain Medical & Allied Health Clinic — Burnaby, BC
Position title: Sport & Exercise Medicine (SEM) Physician
Department: Medical Services — Musculoskeletal & Rehabilitation Stream
Reports to: Medical Director (clinical/professional); Operations Director (administrative/scheduling)
Works with: Anesthesiology & Interventional Pain, Physiatry, Psychology/Counselling, Physiotherapy, Kinesiology, Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Pharmacy, Clinical Admin
Status: Independent contractor (Physician Services Agreement)
FTE / sessions: Full time
Compensation model: MSP fee-for-service via clinic billing. Administrative compensation
Effective date: August 1st, 2026
Version / review cycle: v1.0 — reviewed annually by Medical Director & Operations Manager
Position Summary The Sport & Exercise Medicine Physician provides non-operative musculoskeletal (MSK) and exercise-based medical care to patients living with persistent and complex pain. The role sits at the front end of ChangePain's interdisciplinary model: accurate MSK diagnosis, de-escalation of unnecessary imaging and intervention, restoration of function through graded activity, and appropriate triage into or away from interventional, psychological, and rehabilitative pathways.
This is not a sideline sports practice transplanted into a pain clinic. The patient population is predominantly chronic (>3 months), frequently deconditioned, often carrying central sensitization, mood comorbidity, medication complexity, disability claims, and prior failed treatment. The physician is expected to practise biopsychosocial, function-first medicine and to work as a peer within a team rather than as an isolated consultant.
Scope of Practice 2.1 Core Clinical Scope (expected of all SEM physicians in this role) Assessment and diagnosis Comprehensive MSK history and physical examination of the spine, upper limb, lower limb, and pelvis, including regional and special testing.
Differential diagnosis across mechanical, inflammatory, neuropathic, nociplastic,



referred/visceral, and systemic causes of pain.
Screening for red flags (malignancy, infection, fracture, cauda equina, inflammatory arthropathy, vascular pathology) and appropriate urgent escalation.
Screening for yellow flags — fear-avoidance, catastrophizing, low self-efficacy, sleep disruption, mood disorder, trauma history — and referral into the psychology/counselling stream.
Assessment of central sensitization and nociplastic pain features; explanation of pain neurophysiology to patients in plain language.
Assessment of concussion and post-concussion syndrome, including persistent post-traumatic headache, cervicogenic contribution, vestibulo-ocular dysfunction, and return-to-learn/return-to-work staging.
Recognition and management of the Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) spectrum, disordered eating, bone stress injury, and overtraining presentations where they intersect with chronic pain.
Investigation Ordering and interpreting plain radiography, ultrasound, CT, MRI, bone scan, DEXA, EMG/NCS, and relevant laboratory investigation.
Applying evidence-based imaging stewardship: avoiding low-value imaging, and explicitly counselling patients on incidental and age-normal findings to prevent iatrogenic distress.
Non-operative management Individualized, graded exercise and loading prescription (strength, mobility, aerobic conditioning, tendon loading, motor control, pacing).
Activity modification, ergonomic and biomechanical advice, load management, and flare-up planning.
Bracing, orthoses, taping, gait aids, and footwear guidance.
Sleep, nutrition, weight, smoking, and alcohol counselling as they relate to pain and recovery.




Manual and adjunct therapy referral with transparent, measurable goals and defined review points.
Pharmacological management Prescribing and monitoring non-opioid analgesia, NSAIDs (with GI/renal/CV risk assessment), topicals, neuropathic agents, muscle relaxants, sleep agents, and adjuncts.
Managing controlled drugs and substances strictly in accordance with the CPSBC Practice Standard on Safe Prescribing of Drugs with Potential for Misuse/Diversion, including PharmaNet review at every relevant encounter, treatment agreements, risk stratification, urine drug testing where indicated, and documented rationale for continuation, rotation, or taper.
Opioid tapering and deprescribing in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.
Recognition of opioid use disorder and substance use disorder, with appropriate referral; the physician is not expected to provide opioid agonist therapy unless separately credentialed.
Interdisciplinary and system responsibilities Formulating and documenting an interdisciplinary care plan; participating in case conferences and rounds.
Triaging patients to interventional pain, physiatry, rheumatology, neurology, orthopaedics, or surgery, and receiving referrals back.
Communicating with referring family physicians, nurse practitioners, and specialists via timely consultation letters.
Disability, functional capacity, and return-to-work management, including WorkSafeBC, ICBC, private insurer, and long-term disability files; completion of associated forms and independent reporting to the standard expected of a treating physician.
Medico-legal reporting and, where agreed in advance, expert or treating-physician testimony.
2.2 Credential-Dependent Scope (permitted only with documented training, privileging, and current competence) Procedure / activity — Prerequisite Diagnostic point-of-care MSK ultrasound — Documented POCUS training (e.g. CASEM/CPoCUS MSK stream) + clinic privileging
Ultrasound

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📌 Sport & Exercise Medicine Physician (British Columbia)
🏢 CHANGEpain Clinic
📍 British Columbia