The Future of Athlete Care

College athletes have a lot to manage, from injuries and recovery to schoolwork and the pressure to perform. But getting the care they need is not always easy. Some schools have more medical resources than others, and when athletes transfer, keeping their medical care consistent can become even more challenging.

Taking care of athletes means looking beyond what happens on the field. They need access to reliable medical guidance, support for their mental health, proper nutrition, and time to recover. When athletes have the right information and people to turn to, they can make better decisions about their health and focus on performing at their best.

In this episode of Time Out with the Sports Doctor, Dr. Derrick Burgess introduces Athlete Connect, a platform designed to help address gaps in care for college athletes. He shares what he has seen while working with athletes and explains how the platform will bring together resources for mental health, nutrition, recovery, and performance. He also discusses how better communication and access to guidance can help athletes get the support they need, wherever their athletic careers take them.

"I feel that we can improve our communication across the board, which will allow athletes to make better informed decisions and be able to provide better care for themselves."— Dr. Derrick Burgess

Topics Covered:

00:00:00 – Introduction to Athlete Connect

00:01:12 – The Importance of Athlete Healthcare

00:02:39 – Gaps in College Sports Medicine Coverage

00:04:02 – Introducing Athlete Connect

00:04:31 – Advertisement: Struggling with your finances as a young physician? Doc2Doc Lending is here for you. Founded by doctors, we offer loans tailored to your unique career path—crediting your certifications and specialty training. Visit https://www.doc2doclending.com/ today.

00:06:27 – Improving Communication Across Athlete Care Teams

00:07:14 – The Four Pillars of Athlete Wellness

00:09:01 – Building a Personalized Athlete Care Journey

00:09:55 – Becoming 1% Better Every Day

Key Takeaways:

"The game is the same. You put on pads, it's a collision sport, so injuries occur. Many athletes go untreated or are on their own to try to seek out medical care. Is that the right way to provide care for them? I feel we can do better."

"Many times trying to hide some of these new injuries and just kind of suffering through them because they're trying to create a new name for themselves."

"Not only do they have to perform on the field, they have to perform in the classroom and they have to be able to take care of themselves as a person."

"It's time, there's a need for it and we're here to help fill that gap."

"I always believe in, not just setting New Year resolutions but everyday trying to improve, everyday trying to continue to become 1% better."

Connect with Dr. Derrick Burgess:

Website: https://www.drderrickthesportsdr.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drderrickthesportsdr/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimeOut.SportsDr

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrick-burgess-72047b246/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.derrickburgess243

Email: thesportsdoctr@gmail.com

Other Links: https://www.hbcuendzone.org/about

Scrubs to Skylines: https://www.instagram.com/scrubstoskylines/

This episode of TimeOut with the SportsDr. is produced by Podcast VAs Philippines - the team that helps podcasters effectively launch and manage their podcasts, so we don't have to. Record, share, and repeat! Podcast VAs PH gives me back my time, so I can focus on the core functions of my business. Need expert help with your podcast? Go to www.podcastvasph.com.