Professionalism and the ethics of the sideline physician

The physician working on the sidelines of a public sporting event may encounter a unique set of ethical dilemmas. Many of the ethical pitfalls result from the physician’s responsibilities, not only to the patient, but also to teams and events. Standard rules of confidentiality and patient autonomy may not apply. We propose the use of professionalism as a guide for the sideline physician when faced with difficult ethical situations.