GRU’s Unsung Heroes: Athletic Trainers

They walk the halls with us and work diligently beside us. However, many of us are not aware of the lengths to which many of them have gone to ensure our patients and students receive quality care when they arrive on our campuses.

In an effort to show our appreciation to these employees, Georgia Regents University is kicking off the GReport series Unsung Heroes as a way to highlight individuals or professions that make a substantive yet unrecognized contribution to the university and our community.

Today, we highlight: GRHealth Sports Medicine Center
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With the NBA Playoffs in full gear, many of us will be glued to the television cheering on our favorite basketball teams and players. However, before the first fan enters the arena and long after the sports reporters have left the court, you will find athletic trainers working closely with coaches and athletes to make sure the team is being provided with the proper course of care.
As a society, most of us would agree that sports plays a major role in our culture and we hold our top athletes in high regard . But, it will be the unsung heroes we call athletic trainers that will be the first responders to prevent or treat the injury when our favorite athlete falls on the playing field.
According to Tim McLane, Senior Athletic Trainer in GRHealth Sports Medicine Center, athletic training is a healthcare profession that specializes in the prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses as it relates to sports. Although it requires countless hours of work behind the scenes, McLane says it is a rewarding experience to help athletes achieve their physical best.

“Whether it is finding ways to prevent injuries or providing care after an incident happens, our priority is always the health and well-being of the athletete,” says McLane. “So, to know that I can make a difference in this capacity in the field of health care is a task that I do not take lightly, but I am honored to take on.”
In addition to working in sports, many certified athletic trainers are increasingly being hired to not only assist with performing art productions such as Cirque du Soleil, but they provide tactical medical care for law enforcement agencies including the FBI.
The staff in GRHealth Sports Medicine Center provides health care for many of the schools in the Augusta area and they assists with city-wide sporting competitions including IRONMAN 70.3  and the GRU Augusta Half Marathon and 10K.
Do you know someone or a department that should be featured in GRU’s Unsung Heroes series? Email us your suggestion at GRU_News@gru.edu