During the 1970's Dr. A. A. Savastano, a former Chief of Orthopaedics, cultivated his expertise in the care of injured athletes. M.D. Since then, the Division of Sports Medicine has grown rapidly to provide care for Southern New England's high school, college, amateur, and professional athletes. The staff includes sports medicine fellowship trained physicians, podiatrists, physical therapists, and certified athletic trainers. In addition to seeing athletes in an elective office setting, the staff provide an athlete injury clinic. Visits to Brown University's athletic department and other local colleges, as well as the opportunity to work with professional hockey players from the Providence Bruins, serves to expand the clinical exposure to athletes.
Surgery is scheduled throughout the week.
Coverage of athletic events allows the staff to follow an injury from the field, to the office, possibly to surgery, throughout rehabilitation, and back to participation. Because MRI is used for evaluating many soft tissue sporting injuries, a combined weekly conference with the Department of Radiology has been established. A Sports Medicine teaching conference for all residents is held approximately twice a month. Case studies with literature review, instructional videotapes, and a sports journal club make up the basis of didactic teaching. Monthly research meetings are held to review all active investigations.