Michael Thurling

Sports Doctor, General Practitioner

Dover Gardens, South Australia, Australia

About

I'm an experienced General Practitioner and Sports Doctor based in Adelaide, Australia, with a special interest in sports medicine. After completing postgraduate medicine at Flinders University, I gained broad experience across multiple specialties before entering Specialist General Practice training in 2014. A chance encounter as a patient in the weekend sports injury clinic inspired me to pursue further career path in sports medicine, leading to my current role at Sportsmed, where I've worked for several years. I have gained extensive experience as a team doctor across various sports, including AFL, basketball, and soccer. This includes working as a club doctor with Port Adelaide AFLW team, Adelaide 36ers basketball team, South Adelaide SANFL/SANFLW teams, Port magpies and Mitcham hawks amateur football club. I have also provided match day doctor cover for various visiting AFL and A-league soccer teams. My expertise include acute game-day injury management, clinical assessments, and collaborative care with players, coaches, and health professionals to ensure safe and efficient return to play. In addition to my sports medicine work, I like to consider myself as a dedicated GP with a focus on building strong patient relationships through communication, empathy, and rapport. I have special interests in men’s health, paediatrics, and travel medicine, shaped by love of travel, my previous masters in international public health and past medical elective experiences in Papua New Guinea and Uganda. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my wife and three young children, as well as anything involving the outdoors, including camping, beach trips, and travel both overseas and in Australia. An avid but self-confessed average sportsman, I've played over 200 games for the Mitcham Football Club and also enjoy running, social basketball and lawn bowls.

Experience

  • Sports Doctor/ General Practitioner at SPORTSMED·SA
    Aug 2016 - Present · 10 yrs

  • General Practitioner at IPN Medical Centres - Kingston Family Clinic
    Aug 2016 - Present · 10 yrs

    Special interests in paediatrics, sports medicine, travel medicine and international health, minor procedures.

  • Club Doctor - AFLW program at Port Adelaide Football Club
    Jun 2022 - Present · 4 yrs 2 mos

  • Doctor at Adelaide 36ers
    Sep 2024 - Present · 1 yr 11 mos

  • Match Day Dr at AFL - Australian Football League
    2021 - Present · 5 yrs 7 mos

    Previous match day Doctor coverage - Independent Dr AFLW games - Previous match Day Dr cover for visiting AFL teams - Gold Coast Suns and Fremantle Dockers - Previous match Day Dr cover for Vic Country u18s.