Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sports Medicine
The Eastern Michigan University Sports Medicine Department has a long history and reputation for excellence in the health care of student-athletes and the education of athletic training students. Founding practitioners Gary Strickland, Ron Venis and Dr. Wally Roeser envisioned a goal of first-class prevention, management and rehabilitation of athletic injuries for all student-athletes. Although the department continues to grow, its primary mission remains the same.More than 500 student-athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics receive comprehensive health care from an expansive sports medicine team.
The Eastern Michigan University Sports Medicine staff is led by Team Physician Dr. David Alvarez, Orthopedic Team Physicians Dr. Wally Roeser Dr. Bruce Miller, Dr. Don Wurtzel and Head Athletic Trainer Steve Nordwall. Additionally, the staff consists of two primary care sports medicine fellows, three full-time staff athletic trainers, two full-time athletic training clinical educators, four graduate assistant athletic trainers and the team dentist. Our sports medicine staff works in conjunction with various medical professionals within the community who provide nutritional, dental, vision and other specialized services for our student-athletes.
At Eastern Michigan University, the philosophy of the Sports Medicine staff is two-fold: to provide a high standard of medical care through effective preventive and management programs, and to facilitate an effective post-injury rehabilitation process for a safe return to competition. In all cases, the ultimate well-being of each student-athlete is considered our number one priority, not only while they compete at Eastern Michigan University, but during their lifetime as well.
TheSports Medicine staff operates out of three campus athletic training facilities in the Convocation Center, Bowen Field House and the Rynearson Stadium team building.
Each of the athletic training facilities contain taping and practice preparation areas, treatment and rehabilitative equipment, and physician exam areas that allow for daily, on-campus physician care for athletic injuries and illnesses. Our facilities provide an appropriate environment for the care of our student-athletes and serves as a proper clinical education venue for our athletic training students
In the fall of 1997, the Athletic Education Training Program became accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Students who are accepted into the education program must demonstrate not only excellence in the athletic training room, but in the classroom as well.
The academic workload of the education program is based heavily in the sciences and includes courses in human anatomy, physiology, physics, chemistry, biomechanics, kinesiology and exercise physiology. Academic and clinical instructors monitor the athletic training students as they progress through the required course work which includes five clinical experience courses. In their final semester each athletic training student completes a 15-week internship at an affiliated internship site. Upon completion of the program, all athletic training students must pass the national certification examination prior to advancing into their careers or continuing on in their education as an athletic trainer.
It is our ongoing mission to constantly re-evaluate the roles and responsibilities of our program in order to best exceed the expectation and needs of our student population. The interaction between the sports medicine staff, the student-athletes and the athletic training education program creates a productive atmosphere which enhances both the student-athlete experience and athletic training students’ clinical education.