World Class Student-Athlete Experience: Wake Forest Athletics Announces Enhanced Partnership with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Wake Forest University School of Medicine

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The top priority for everyone in Wake Forest Athletics is safety and through an innovative and enhanced partnership with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Wake Forest University School of Medicine, healthcare for all 400-plus Demon Deacons student-athletes will be enhanced through a multitude of ways, including on-campus care from trained physicians.

Dr. Chris Miles, sports medicine specialist at Wake Forest Baptist and associate professor of family medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, has been named medical director for this partnership and Dr. John Hubbard, orthopedic surgeon at Wake Forest Baptist and associate professor of orthopedic surgery at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, has been named surgical director.

Both Miles and Hubbard have a long history of caring for Wake Forest's student-athletes.

As medical director, Miles will serve as the primary facilitator and coordinator of medical care for all of Wake Forest Athletics. All Wake Forest Athletics caregivers will communicate their medical diagnoses and medical management plans with Miles, creating a streamlined communication system to provide world-class medical care to all of Wake Forest Athletics.

As surgical director, Hubbard will monitor and communicate modifications through surgical pathways and will be responsible for the timelines for surgical cases.

"We are so pleased to be taking this next step in our longstanding relationship with Wake Forest Athletics which will enhance the health care provided to student-athletes," said Dr. Julie Freischlag, CEO of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, executive vice president of health affairs at Wake Forest University and chief academic officer of Advocate Health, of which Wake Forest Baptist and Wake Forest University School of Medicine serve as the academic core.

"Wake Forest Athletics is a proud partner of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and is so appreciative of the world class healthcare provided for our Wake Forest and Winston-Salem communities," director of athletics John Currie said. "This enhanced partnership provides even greater access for our student-athletes to world class healthcare professionals every day in our on-campus sports medicine clinic. I am so grateful to Dr. Andrew Koman, Dr. Cynthia Emory, and Dr. Richard Lord. With the enhanced partnership with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, our physicians and sports medicine staff will continue to have medical autonomy as they practice under the direction of Dr. Chris Miles and our Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist partners. Finally, I would like to thank Lindsey Babcock, deputy athletic director, Dr. Ebony Boulware, dean of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and Dr. Julie Freischlag, CEO of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, for their hard work and dedication to enhance this partnership to enhance the coverage of medical care on our beautiful Reynolda campus."

Additionally, several Wake Forest University School of Medicine faculty will be providing services under this agreement: Dr. Brian Waterman, Dr. Heath Thornton, Dr. Neil Sparks, Dr. Laura Lintner, Dr. Mike Jones, Dr. Sebastian Kaplan, Dr. Nicholas Trasolini.

This enhanced partnership is overseen by a new executive committee. Wake Forest Athletics, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Wake Forest University School of Medicine officials will make up the membership of this committee. Members of this new oversight group include Drs. Cynthia Emory and Richard Lord from Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, along with AD John Currie.

Another unique aspect of this partnership includes Wake Forest Baptist's hiring of the inaugural registered nurse sports medicine navigator dedicated to Wake Forest Athletics.

This new position will assist with medical referrals and further streamline access to medical resources within the hospital system. In addition, this individual will be on the front lines to assist in medical care and will provide education on injury prevention.

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Wake Forest Athletics will continue its transformative partnership around different facilities, fellowships, and events.

The Wake Forest Pitching Lab is the biomechanics evaluation destination for pitchers at every level of the game. This state-of-the-art facility, which is located inside the Chris Hurd Player Development Center at David F. Couch Ballpark, brings together leading-edge technology and expert staff to perform a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of a pitcher's mechanics and develop customized training programs aimed at reducing the risk of injury and enhancing performance. This lab is a collaboration between Wake Forest University, Wake Forest School of Medicine and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. It includes a full-time biomechanist on site in Dr. Kristen Nicholson, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the medical school.
Wake Forest University School of Medicine will continue to provide world-class training and education to students who are part of Wake Forest's Athletic Training and Physical Therapy fellowships.
- Additionally, Athletics and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist will continue joint continuing education unit events that provide an opportunity for medical professionals to continue their education with Wake Forest University while providing health services for Demon Deacons student-athletes.
- A specific example includes when Associate AD, Head Athletic Trainer Niles Fleet and Chris Ina, director of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's athletic training services recently helped the Athletics staff host medical professionals at Allegacy Stadium, which featured an emergency care training session to ensure first-class care for student-athletes. Continuing education credit was provided by Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

About Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a combination of world-class academics, unrivaled campus experience, intimate learning environment and Power 5 athletics in a top-growing metro market. A Charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Demon Deacons have won 56 conference titles and are one of only seven ACC schools to win 10 or more national championships, along with Notre Dame, North Carolina, Virginia, Duke, Syracuse and Florida State. Additionally, Wake Forest anchors the Winston-Salem and Triad market, which includes 1.3M residents and was ranked as ESPN's seventh-best market from a viewership perspective.

Specifically since Aug. 1, 2019, Wake Forest has been the fastest growing and hottest brand in the Power 5 (and the ACC), with a 115 percent growth in its fan base during this span. Across the nation, over 2.7 million people now identify as Wake Forest fans, which ranks ninth in the league and ahead of Virginia Tech and just trailing NC State.

Academically, Wake Forest University is ranked in the Top 30 Nationally by US News and World Report for the past 27 years (and counting) and ranked 21st Nationally in Undergraduate Teaching according to the 2022-23 US News and World Report. Wake Forest's comprehensive excellence includes its highly regarded school of medicine, business school, law school and an innovative department of engineering. Additionally, Wake Forest holds campuses across Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Washington, DC – providing academic offerings across the southeast.

Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu and at GoDeacs.com.

Wake Forest Athletics

World Class Student-Athlete Experience: Wake Forest Athletics Announces Enhanced Partnership with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Wake Forest University School of Medicine

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