- This NFL initiative aims to increase and diversify the portfolio of students interested in pursuing careers in sports medicine.
- The goal of the NFL is to help diversify the medical staff of NFL clubs.
- The expansion of this initiative will extend to disciplines beyond primary care sports medicine and orthopedic surgery.
The NFL, along with the NFL Physicians Society (NFLPS) and the Professional Football Athletic Trainer Society (PFATS), today announced the launch of the initiative NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline, which will provide Medicine students of the four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with the opportunity to complete a clinical rotation with the NFL club’s medical staff.
THE OBJECTIVE OF THE INITIATIVE
This initiative aims to increase and diversify the student portfolio interested in pursuing careers in sports medicine to help make a positive impact on the field and, over time, help diversify the medical staff of NFL clubs.
A study examining the diversity of the medical student population shows that black medical students make up only 7.3 percent of the total US medical school population., a figure that has increased less than 1 percent in the last 40 years and is much lower than the 13.4 percent of the black population in the United States.
“It is essential to increase diversity in all roles in our league and in our clubs. Diversity makes us stronger,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
“We have the opportunity to help grow the portfolio of diverse sports medicine professionals, which is imperative for us as a league. This initiative is an example of how we can lend our platform for a social benefit. I am proud that our league can help inspire the next generation of sports medicine professionals.”
Through this program, the NFL, NFLPS and PFATS are not only working to diversify the medical staff of NFL clubs, but also to increase equity in health of athletes across the country. The importance of diversity and representation in health care teams is well established: diverse medical staff can facilitate better patient outcomes.
“We have a lot of work to do to ensure that the NFLPS membership more closely reflects the population of players we treat every day,” said NFLPS President and San Francisco 49ers Chief Team Physician Dr. Timothy McAdams.
“It Starts Here: Pushing the Line and Encouraging Medical Students from Diverse Backgrounds to Consider the Possibilities of a Sports Medicine Career.”
The expansion of this initiative will extend to disciplines beyond primary care sports medicine and orthopedic surgery.
Some of the roles that can be included are medical assistantscertified athletic trainers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, nutritionists, and behavioral health doctors.
Additionally, while the inaugural season of this show focuses on provide black medical students with exposure to careers in sports medicinethe NFL, NFLPS and PFATS will also work to expand the sports medicine pipeline for other people of color and women in the coming seasons.
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