For the second year in a row, the Los Angeles Rams are partnering with the NFL Physicians Association (NFLPS) and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Association (PFATS) to offer medical students the opportunity to complete a clinical rotation with the team’s medical staff. Now in its second year, the initiative will increase and diversify the pipeline of students interested in pursuing a career in sports medicine, have a positive impact on the medical field, and eventually diversify the medical staff of NFL clubs. It aims to contribute to
As part of the program, medical students with an interest in primary care sports medicine and orthopedics will be selected to complete a one-month clinical rotation with an NFL club, providing medical staff for the club to serve the world. Provides a unique opportunity to learn from and collaborate directly with Class care to players across leagues. Last year’s first class consisted of 14 of his students from his four medical schools at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) who had completed rotations for his eight NFL clubs. The 2023 program has expanded to match diverse students from 19 medical schools with NFL clubs across the league.
This season, the Rams will provide Charles R. Drew University’s Nonye Ikeani with a one-month clinical rotation in collaboration with the team’s vice president of sports medicine and performance, Reggie Scott, and his staff.
“It is very rare to have the opportunity to work with elite-level athletes. It is even more special to have the opportunity to work with the care team that keeps athletes healthy. I’m trying to change what I thought was possible for black women at ,” Ikeani said.” “I have great respect for the discipline and dedication required to reach a professional level. As an aspiring pediatric orthopedic surgeon, I enjoy working with student-athletes and doing everything in their power to keep them injury-free while they play the sport they love. to ”
Diverse medical students in training, including training to become physicians specializing in sports medicine, have historically been underrepresented. Diverse student enrollment is on the rise, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. From 2022 to 2023, “the number of black or African American enrolments will increase by 9%” and “the number of Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish enrolments will increase by 4%”, but “the number of Americans Enrollments of Indian or Alaskan Natives increased, down 9%. The NFL’s Diversity Pipeline Initiative in Sports Medicine has expanded to provide more students with an interest in sports medicine and opportunities in the field.
The Sports Medicine Pipeline Diversity Initiative is part of the league’s broader commitment to ensuring that the staff and leaders of league offices and NFL clubs reflect the racial and gender makeup of America. With respect to NFL club medical staff, this initiative builds on existing efforts to increase diversity across the NFL Medical Commission by recruiting diverse medical staff as positions become available in all roles.