But chances are he or she won’t be all that helpful if you show up with a running injury. Most doctors aren’t trained in sports medicine, and most aren’t going to have insight into why you got injured, how to quickly overcome it, and how to avoid it in the future. I say this as someone who has running doctors for friends who would agree with all of the above.
At the minimum, see only doctors who have sports medicine certification in their fields. That will greatly increase your chances of them taking a holistic approach to solving your injury puzzle. And it should increase the chance that you’ll get empathy on wanting to quickly return to action (instead of “If it hurts when you run, then don’t run,” or, “No wonder you’re hurt—that’s a lot of running!”).
Word of mouth from other runners in your area is the best way to find a medical professional who can help. Podiatrists and osteopaths are often your best choices for finding a satisfying relationship as a runner. Chiropractors are trained to take a fullbody view when looking for answers, but be wary if the answer involves repeated visits instead of a long-term do-at-home plan.