VCOM View Vol 11 No 1

athletes prior to participation in the sports season and are a valuable tool for ensuring the general health of the athletes and identifying potential issues to watch for during the season. While certainly the no-cost physicals are a benefit to VCOM’s university partners, being able to perform the pre-season physicals allows the sports medicine team to provide better continuity of care for their athletes over the course of the entire season. This is especially true for those athletes who come to the area from out of state and those requiring continuation of rehabilitation care. High School Involvement In addition to the care provided to collegiate athletes, VCOM faculty have supported Emergency Medical Responders Programs at high schools in Ouachita, St. Landry, Vermillion and Acadia parishes, which have provided teacher/certified athletic trainers in those schools to ensure safe sport participation. These programs are designed to help extend the reach of VCOM’s support for rural and medically underserved high schools across the state. Once a fellowship program has been established at VCOM-Louisiana, there will be additional manpower

winter 2021 | VCOM V iew M agazine 17