Fourteen medical students from HBCUs are going to work alongside NFL staff this season. According to the Associated Press, students were chosen from four HBCU medical schools and will work with the following teams: Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, San Francisco, Tennessee, and Washington Commanders.
This is a joint program with the NFL Physicians Society (NFLPS) and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS). The goal is to provide diversity across sports medicine, including in the NFL.
Only 7.3% of medical students in the U.S. are Black. That number has risen less than 1% over the past 40 years and is significantly lower than the 13.4% Black population in the country. It’s important to note that 70% of NFL players are Black.
The one-month clinical rotations are set to begin in September. Students will work with orthopedic team physicians, primary care team physicians, and athletic trainers.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Jamie Jackson:
