It's actually
rotator cuff tear, and is fairly common among baseball pitchers and, to a lesser extent, tennis players and elite swimmers. A google search should tell you all you need - and I wonder why your doctor didn't give you more information.
In any case, your recovery depends on the severity of the injury - whether it can be treated with therapy or not. If surgery is required you can be in for a long recovery / rehab. The surgery is generally effective, though, to the point where it's (remotely) possible to return to elite athlete status after the rehab.
