A Week with a Team Physician
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By: Dr. Kevin Kaplan and Michelle Duclos
You’re watching the Jaguars game on TV, and right in the middle of a great play, one of the players goes down on the field. A few seconds pass as everyone waits to see if the player gets up. Suddenly two figures appear on the field. “”Who are they?”” you ask. Customarily, they are the team’s athletic trainer and the team physician. Yes, professional teams have their own team physician. And you find yourself asking, “”So, what exactly does a team physician do, anyway?”
Jacksonville Jaguars
Team Physician of The Jacksonville Jaguars Football Team
Meet Dr. Kevin M. Kaplan, orthopedic surgeon at JOI’s San Marco clinic and team doctor for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Here’s a peak into a typical week in the life of a team physician.
Gameday Regimen
On a typical Sunday, Dr. Kaplan arrives at the stadium a few hours before kickoff to provide pregame treatments for each player who needs them. He then moves onto the field with the team and other staff members where he stands watch, ready to race onto the field at any time to assess injuries and determine if a player can safely return to the game. Once the game has ended, Dr. Kaplan returns to the locker room with the team to provide an injury clinic for any athletes that may have sustained an injury. If there are any athletes that need further imaging, Dr. Kaplan will put in the order before leaving the stadium. Finally, usually long after the stadium is dark, he returns home to his family.
Monday Morning Injury Report
Dr. Kaplan usually arrives at the stadium early on Monday morning for an injury check. He reviews the MRIs he ordered after the game, and orders MRIs for any additional players who may require them prior to diagnosis. He devotes a great deal of time discussing injuries with the players, the team’s certified athletic trainers (ATCs), coaches and agents. Requests for second opinions referred by agents are routine. So, Dr. Kaplan evaluates those as well and follows up with discussions with their team ATCs and agents. When his work at the stadium is finished, he heads for his office at JOI to see his regular patients until the end of the day.
Tuesday and Wednesday
Dr. Kaplan spends all day Tuesday in the operating room patching up his knee and shoulder patients. Typically, on Wednesdays he works in the clinic all day seeing patients in his private practice. NFL teams are constantly working on their roster, so Dr. Kaplan frequently sees free agent players who need physicians to assess their previous medical history and underlying musculoskeletal issues. ATCs cover all team practices, so if injuries come up in practice, the ATCs send the players to the office for evaluation.
Thursday and Friday
Thursday mornings, you will find Dr. Kaplan in the clinic seeing his regular patients. In the afternoon, he treks out to the stadium to re-evaluate injured players. This assessment later in the week enables the medical staff to determine the players’ availability for the next game. Friday is another busy day in the operating room.
Saturday
Saturdays before road games are travel days for the Jaguars. Dr. Kaplan travels with the team wherever they go. You might ask, when does Dr. Kaplan have time for quality time with his family? Saturdays before home games are always devoted to quality family time.
Dr. Kaplan’s Weekly Summary
Overall, the weekly schedule of a team physician is extremely busy and full of twists and turns. Despite a hectic, ever-changing schedule, Dr. Kaplan is able to provide the highest standard of care for not only our Jacksonville Jaguar athletes and his in-clinic patients.
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Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute
Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute has a team of highly specialized orthopedic doctors and therapists to help you with your injuries. We’ll treat you like a pro! To schedule for physical therapy, please call JOI Rehab at 904-858-7045.
To schedule an appointment with a JOI Orthopedic Specialist, call 904-JOI-2000, schedule online, or click the link below.
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