The Head Team Physician serves as the medical leader and expert for the University of Nevada Athletics Sports Medicine Department. This role involves direct oversight of the collaborating Renown/UNR Sports Medicine Physicians, Sports Medicine/Head Athletic Trainer (HAT) and works collaboratively with medical and surgical specialists, physical therapy and Student Health Services to ensure excellent pre-season, season, and post-season care for athletes. This position works collaboratively with athletic training,sports performance, nutritional services, mental health and wellness services, and concussions protocols. This includes involvement with these services at all venues and in the athletic training rooms. The position has ultimate authority over medical decisions regarding the care and welfare of University of Nevada student athletes.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Administrative
- Report to the UNR/Renown Director of Sports Medicine and University Athletic Director, regarding all matters dealing with the quality and efficiency of medical care.
- Serves as the medical expert and leader on all decisions regarding medical practices, procedures and policies for student athlete medical care.
- Serve as liaison between Renown Health, Nevada/Renown Sports Medicine, Student Health Service, Intercollegiate Athletics, and the School of Medicine.
- Meet with other intercollegiate administrators, staff, or coaches as needed to address the health, wellness, and performance of student-athletes.
- Involvement in committees and teams as appropriate.
- Work with HAT and events staff to ensure all emergency action plans are up to date and implemented including EMS coverage.
- In collaboration with the HAT, create and maintain a Sports Medicine Policies and Procedures Manual.
- Ensure all required training and education is up to date for athletics personnel and student athletes including NCAA mandated training and education.
- Serve as the designated NCAA Health Care Administrator serving as the primary point of contact to assure Nevada Athletics is compliant with NCAA health and safety legislation and interassociation recommendations.
- Be the UNR Medical Representative to the Mountain West Conference (MWC) Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC)
- Ensure the UNR Athletics Dept. is meeting all NCAA Medical Best Practice Recommendations and NCAA Injury Reporting requirements
Medical Coverage
- Oversee all entrance physicals and annual exams for student-athletes.
- Perform and interpret ECG on all new and returning student athletes as specified by current policy requirements.
- Follow up on lab and imaging results ordered by the Nevada Athletics/Renown Sports Medicine physicians and Student Health Providers.
- Ensure Primary Care - Sports Medicine physician coverage for any necessary home & away games, practices, and scrimmages, and communicating assignments with the athletic training staff and other medical providers.
- Ensure Primary Care – Sports Medicine training room clinic hours for student-athletes. Typically a minimum of 2 hours per day, Monday through Friday during each 16 week semester and coverage as needed during school breaks and the summer.
- Ensure Primary Primary Care – Sports Medicine clinic coverage daily on football game days and the morning following both home and away games.
- Work with the Nevada/Renown assigned Sports Medicine Orthopedic Physician(s) to provide coverage for the care of athletes at games (home and away) as needed and communicate assignments with the athletic training room
- Work with Nevada/Renown physicians and affiliated specialty physicians to provide the best care in the most efficient and timely manner. Refer and supervise referrals for emergent, urgent, and follow up care.
- Provide effective patient care and initiate arrangement for continuing definitive care.
- Conduct medical examinations, diagnose, prescribe, and treat patients while practicing with clinical skill and competence.
- Makes the final medical decisions on clearance, return to play and medical disqualification of student athletes
- Responsible for the sideline/event medical supplies, medications and medican equipment
- Work with the sport specific athletic trainers to cover student-athlete emergencies after hours and on weekends.
- Ensure the Nevada Athletics Department is meeting all NCAA Best Practices Recommendations and NCAA Injury Reporting requirements
Nevada Athletics Supervision and Administration
- Develop, review and update policies and procedures and medical bylaws as needed.
- Develop, review, and update general training room policies, Student Athlete forms, and electronic medical records procedures.
- Review and update Emergency Action Plans annually
- Conduct emergency preparedness simulations including sideline drills
- Attend athletic trainer meetings
- Assist in the recruiting of training room staff and ATCs as performed by the Head ATC
Training Room Operations
- Oversee all medical operations of a multidisciplinary ambulatory care clinic within the training room.
- Ensure Primary Care – Sports Medicine physician coverage for the training room by creating schedules for full-time coverage by primary care sports medicine physicians & orthopedic surgeons
- Provide leadership and collaborative coordination among the areas (physical therapists, athletic trainers, dieticians, clinical psychologists, consulting physicians, strength, conditioning and performance specialists and other allied health providers or technical experts) involved in the multidisciplinary support of all student athletes.
- Evaluate the performance of external clinical coordinators and appropriate clinical consultants/Technical Experts. Provide significant input on the evaluation of the above-named athletics staff positions.
Education and Teaching
- Provide training and education for students, ATCs, coaches, and administrators, including preparation and presentation as needed to meet NCAA Best Practice Recommendations and to ensure adequate
- Provide teaching and mentoring opportunities for the University of Nevada Sports Medicine Fellow(s) and other affiliated health care trainees.
- Maintain a faculty appointment within the University of Nevada School of Medicine
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Experience with management of the administrative and medical operations of an intercollegiate athletics sports medicine department, including clinical and associated staff
- Knowledge and experience with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations & the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA).
- Knowledge of NCAA and conference regulations, travel and sideline coverage and responsibilities.
- Know roles of medical providers and experts who provide care and oversee safety and performance for intercollegiate student athletes (including but not limited to physicians, athletic trainers, dieticians, physical therapists, sport psychologists, massage therapists, chiropractors, and strength, conditioning, and performance specialists).
- Good oral and written communication skills.
- Knowledge of supervisory practices and principles.
- Knowledge of the NCAA Sports Science Institute Best Practices
- Knowledge of with NCAA Drug Testing Protocols & collaboration with Athletics Administration/Student Health Center Administration on Institutional Drug Testing Program
- Maintain current BLS CPR and AED certification
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- M.D./D.O. from an accredited school of medicine or approved school of allopathic or osteopathic medicine.
- ABMS or AOA Boarded in a Primary Care specialty.
- CAQ in Sports Medicine.
- License to practice medicine in the State of Nevada
- Must have current DEA Controlled Substance Registration Certification
- Nevada prescriptive privileges required.
- 5 years’ experience practicing in primary care sports medicine, with most clinical activity directly in sports medicine, preferably with a university athletics department.
- Experience supervising other health care professionals.
- Experience in administration and policy development.
- Experience working with an electronic medical record.
- Experience in sports medicine leadership, preferably including a university athletics department.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- 5 years of experience as team physician for either: college, high school, Paralympic, Olympic, or professional teams.
- 2 years of experience working within a college athletics program as a medical provider.Experience in student health or CAQ in Adolescent Health.
- Experience with sports ultrasound.
DIRECT COVERAGE AND PRESENCE AT ATHLETIC EVENTS:
- The head team physician will provide direct coverage for the following:
- Football Away Games: 6-7 games
- Football Home Games: 6-7 games
- Football Spring Game
- Basketball MWC Tournament: approximately 7 days of travel with teams
- Post-Season Basketball/Bowl Game Football: TBD
- The head team physician (or approved designee) will provide direct coverage for all additional games, and/or will ensure coverage from Nevada/Renown Sports Medicine Primary Care or other approved providers for the remaining events.
- Men’s Basketball: approximately 15 home games
- Soccer: approximately 10 home games
- Softball: On call – approximately 15 home games
- Baseball: On call – approximately 25 home games
- Track and Field and Cross Country: approximately 7 event per year
- Volleyball: approximately 15 home games
- Women’s Basketball: approximately 15 home games
- The head team physician will provide direct training room coverage, and/or will ensure coverage from Nevada/Renown Sports Medicine Primary Care for the remaining training room hours, including times when the Head Team Physician is on work travel or other leave.
- The head team physician will provide direct coverage for all training activities/scrimmages or will ensure coverage from Nevada/Renown Sports Medicine Primary Care for the remaining hours, including times when the Head Team Physician is on work travel or other leave. Coaches and athletic trainers will communicate scheduling needs one-month prior to the activity.