Family Medicine – Sports Medicine Fellowship

Not Accepting Applications for 2025-2026 Academic Year

The Sports Medicine Fellowship Program will be discontinued following 2024-2025 Academic Year

Who we are

The Sports Medicine Fellowship Spokane is an ACGME-accredited, one-year experience in clinical and academic sports medicine that accepts one Family Medicine or Internal Medicine-trained physician each year. All graduates who are ABFM/ABIM certified will be eligible to take the examination for a Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine.

Our Mission

Our mission is to develop a well-rounded primary care and sports medicine physician who can provide a community with the expertise to promote physical activity and care for active individuals of all ages, in addition to athletes. The program provides multiple learning environments and offers strong curriculum in evaluation and treatment of the injured athlete, diagnostic and /procedural musculoskeletal ultrasound, return-to-play decisions at multiple competitive levels, functioning as a team physician and the opportunity for academic teaching.

Program Highlights

  • Clinical experience provided at Providence Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Family Medicine Residency Spokane, Kaiser Permanente Activity Sports and Exercise Medicine, and Multicare. Additional sites include cardiology, radiology and other specialty practices.
  • Team physician experience at Gonzaga University (Division I), Whitworth University (Division III) and multiple local high schools, offering a full spectrum of traditional school sports.
  • Professional sports team coverage including the Spokane Indians (affiliated with Colorado Rockies).
  • Medical coverage of annual mass sporting events including Bloomsday road race, Coeur d’Alene Ironman Triathlon, and Spokefest.
  • Weekly Didactics
  • Diagnostic and Procedural musculoskeletal ultrasound training
  • Monthly journal club
  • Osteopathic manipulation techniques are offered
  • AMSSM membership, AMSSM annual meeting, state medical license, and DEA fees are covered.
Kamran Karim, DO

Kamran Karim, DO

Sports Medicine Fellowship Director

Kamran obtained his medical degree from Western University of Health Sciences (Pomona) in 2017. He then traveled north to Spokane for his family medicine training, followed by completion of a primary care sports medicine fellowship at OHSU. He served as a team physician for Portland State University during his time in Oregon, and currently provides medical care to athletes at Gonzaga University and the Spokane Indians. He has a passion for musculoskeletal medicine with an emphasis on diagnostic/procedural ultrasound and working with learners in various stages of medical training.  In his free time, he enjoys hiking, camping, snowboarding, and rooting on the Dodgers/Lakers. 

2024-2025 Fellow

Raza Syed, MD

Raza Syed, MD

Sports Medicine Fellow

I was born in Durham, NC and was raised between there and Raleigh, NC.  I attended East Carolina University where I was a walk-on football player for a year prior to beginning my medical education at Xavier University School of Medicine. Following that, I completed my family medicine residency (Rural track) back at ECU.  I chose sports medicine because of my love for athletics and competition, but also to prepare myself to be able to help patients achieve pain relief and return to function through non-operative measures when possible and help maintain a good quality of life for years to come!   Outside of medicine I enjoy playing and watching sports, traveling around the world, trying various cuisines, working out, and spending time with my dog Lilo.  

Faculty

Laura Fralich, MD

Laura Fralich, MD

Faculty

Dr. Fralich is a fellowship-trained Sports Medicine physician in the Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at Providence and serves as head team physician for the Spokane Chiefs hockey club. Dr. Fralich is also the team physician for multiple local high schools as well as the Community Colleges of Spokane and has led medical teams providing coverage for several large events including the USA Special Olympic Games, Boston Marathon, and Bloomsday. Dr. Fralich is an assistant professor in the Department of Medical Education & Clinical Sciences at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, as well as clinical faculty at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Fralich’s professional interests and expertise include medical education, working with athletes, diagnosis and treatment of sports-related concussion, ultrasound-guided procedures, use of platelet-rich plasma and other minimally-invasive therapies, and diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. Dual board-certified in Family Medicine and Sports Medicine, Dr. Fralich has authored chapters in The 5-Minute Clinical Consult and is a frequent speaker at conferences and other medical education events.

Benjamin Howie, MD

Benjamin Howie, MD

Faculty

Dr. Howie is board-certified in Sports Medicine and Family Medicine and licensed in the state of Washington. Prior to fellowship training in Sports Medicine, he practiced full-scope Family Medicine in the US Navy for five years. He offers comprehensive care to athletes and patients seeking to live more active lifestyles. His clinical interests include acute and overuse musculoskeletal injuries, activity promotion and ultrasound-guided interventions.

Travis Hughes, MD

Travis Hughes, MD

Faculty

Dr. Hughes is a board certified sports medicine physician and internal medicine physician. He is a Washington native, growing up in Kennewick and completed all of his medical training here in Spokane. Travis spent three years caring for adult medicine patients at Sacred Heart Medical Center and at the Spokane Teaching Health Clinic before completing and additional year of training in sports medicine. All of his graduate medical education has been done with Providence and he is excited to continue working for Providence.