As Rachel Gardenhire sat near the bench at a Miami University men's basketball game and watched a player go down on the court with an injury, she sprang into action as an assistant athletic trainer. She ran onto the court to help assess the injury and provide care.
Yet, it also served as a switch for a desire to not just be an athletic trainer, but to be a physician. She wanted to continue studying sports medicine and attend medical school. She wanted to go into orthopedic surgery.
"I had a lot of exposure in school, and in that moment and in my undergrad experience, I had a lot of exposure to seeing orthopedic surgeries and just shadowing in that capacity," she said. "So, I always thought it was cool. But there was always that little mind game of like, 'But can I do it? Am I the one that can do it?'
"As I got more in the OR and saw more things, I really like the biomechanics thinking and very tangible outcomes of let's improve somebody's life in this way or improve their movement, thinking about how they use their body – whether it's sports or whether it's just everyday functioning," Gardenhire continued. "So, I just like that the way of thinking and problem solving of orthopedics."
Gardenhire is in her third year of medical school at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, completing a rotation with the Browns as a member of this year's NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative class.
She began her rotation with the Browns on Oct. 25 and spent four weeks with the Browns. During her time with the Browns, she spent time in the operating room at University Hospitals and in the clinic with Dr. James Voos, M.D., the head team physician and chair of the department of Orthopedic Surgery at University Hospitals Cleveland.
"It was a pleasure to host Rachel for the month," Voos said. "I am grateful to the Browns and University Hospitals for providing a comprehensive, all-access experience for her."
She's also experienced the primary care side with Dr. Sean Cupp, M.D., and she's been at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus helping assess injuries before and after practice, as well as assisting in rehabilitation with the Browns athletic training staff.
"It's been cool to see all the different avenues within medicine that work together under the sports medicine umbrella, and how much collaboration there is even across specialties within the practice," Gardenhire said.
The NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative – which is in its third year – was first developed to encourage medical students from diverse backgrounds to consider sports medicine careers, and over time, help to diversify NFL club medical staffs.
In May 2023, the NFL, the NFL Physicians Society (NFLPS) and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS), announced the league-wide expansion of the NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative, providing medical students with the opportunity to complete a clinical rotation with NFL club medical staff.
The program has continued to expand of the last three years. In 2024, student participants joined clubs form 21 total medical schools around the United States.
During the one-month rotation, students observe and participate in the care of NFL players, work directly with and under the supervision of the orthopedic team physicians, primary care team physicians, athletic trainers, dietitians, mental health clinicians, strength & conditioning coaches, equipment managers, and others to gain medical knowledge and exposure to patient care in sports medicine.
"This NFL and NFLPS initiative to attract the brightest medical students to consider a career in sports medicine has been a resounding success," Voos said. "The Browns and team medical staff have created an environment of education, innovation and collaboration to continue the program into the future."
Students also become familiar with return-to-play protocols and on-field treatment considerations for NFL players. By the end of the rotation, the goal is to have students understand the basic elements of all facets of care provided to NFL players from an orthopedic, primary care sports medicine and athletic training perspective.
"This really is like a once in a lifetime kind of opportunity, because you don't get this in medical school," Gardenhire said. "If you're not selected for this program, you really don't get professional organization exposure until you get into a sports medicine fellowship, which is after residency."
Gardenhire first heard of the initiative through a fellow student at Case Western, Penelope Halkiadakis, who was a part of the 2023 class of the NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative and the Browns first fellow in the program. She encouraged Gardenhire to apply because of her undergrad studies and experience in athletic training, as well as her goals of being an orthopedic surgeon.
Gardenhire learned she was selected for the 2024 class of the NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative in April 2024 while studying for her first board exam. In preparation for her rotation in October, Gardenhire attended online zoom training sessions with the other members of the 2024 class to be welcomed into the program.
While she's gained the hand-on experience. Gardenhire said she's also observed how Voos and the other doctors work on a daily basis. She's seen the way Voos interacts with his colleagues and noted his demeanor around patients and how he discusses injuries and the shared decision making. She's also experienced how integrated team physicians are in the community.
"I think the coolest thing about working with him, and the whole (UH) Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute practice, is seeing the impact that sports medicine has in the community," Gardenhire said. "Him being a team physician for the Browns has built so much trust throughout all Northeast Ohio community, as far as who they're seeking to take care of them, but also seeing that their impact with high school coverage. So, it's been really cool to just see how the same interactions that happen here at the Browns facility are happening in the hospitals and in the community with all the patients. And just the amount of trust building and relational kind of aspect that goes into doctoring too, especially from like, a surgical field."
Gardenhire wrapped up her rotation with the Browns with the Week 12 matchup against the Steelers on Thursday Night Football on Nov. 21. She gained another unique experience of witnessing the work of the team physicians and athletic training staff on a game day and how they operate.
Her experience with the Browns through this rotation, and the work of the NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative has continued to inspire her and her aspirations to become an orthopedic surgeon.
"To get this kind of exposure at this point, and to see the NFL commitment to sustaining the program, expanding the program, getting feedback about how they can improve, it really shows their commitment," Gardenhire said. "This was not a one-time kind of ordeal. This was not something that we just want to try and see how it goes. Like, no, we want to put effort into it and really develop the program and sustain it and build that pipeline."
