Historically, the team physician and certified athletic trainer (ATC) were solely responsible for all aspects of athlete medical care. In fact, the ATC's training and education were designed specifically for athletics programs. The athletic trainer was (and in most cases still is) the first responder to the injured athlete. And in terms of treatment and rehabilitation, ATCs were trained to care for the collegiate athlete in a more aggressive manner -- combining solid care in the player's best interest with the desire to return the athlete to play as quickly as possible.

Since those early years, a variety of medical professionals have joined certified athletic trainers and physicians in the collegiate setting -- forming a more complete athletics health-care team. From doctors to athletic trainers to emergency medical technicians to physical therapists, these professionals are all valuable to any program. In fact, the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) emphasized the importance of having qualified health-care professionals of all specialties for student-athletes through a document published by the NATA Task Force to Establish Appropriate Medical Coverage for Intercollegiate Athletics (AMCIA).

The AMCIA document demonstrates the need for a variety of health-care professionals serving the student-athlete. Each professional is important, and each professional makes the team stronger.

The true winner in the "medical-care scenario" is the student-athlete. For those of us who work with these young men and women on a daily basis, our goal is to provide quality care. With a team of professionals, we can accomplish this goal.