The Atlantic Coast Conference has announced its COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group that includes one representative from each of its 15 institutions. The Medical Advisory Group’s charge is to provide timely updates on the status of, and forecast for, COVID-19 impacts on the higher education community. Its advice will assist with the league’s discussions surrounding return-to-play options.
“The institutions of the ACC have long been leaders in the medical field and include many of the leading medical experts in the country, which is a tremendous asset for the conference and all its members,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “One of the great things you gain from being in a conference with a culture like ours is the opportunity to share best practices, and the Medical Advisory Group is a great example of that. This group meets weekly and will assist our Presidents and Athletic Directors on the best protocols and procedures for returning to athletics as part of our institutions’ plans.”
The ACC’s Medical Advisory Group is chaired by Dr. Cameron Wolfe who is a member of the infectious disease division at Duke University Medical Center and is an associate professor of medicine. The full Medical Advisory Group will meet on a regular basis, and Dr. Wolfe will also participate in regular calls with other Autonomy 5 conference medical chairs.
“The ACC has assembled a group of top medical experts, and it’s an honor to serve as its chair,” said Dr. Wolfe. “We look forward to working together to advise our conference and campus leadership on medical issues and guidelines for a safe return to athletic competition.”
The Medical Advisory Group will focus discussions on the current status of campus operations and what that means for athletics; the forecast for the next phase of resocialization for the campus and what that means for athletics; recommendations to member schools for resocialization of the student-athlete population, specifically physical readiness/acclimatization, mental health, academics and facility considerations; and recommendations to member schools related to competition venues with fans.
In the most recent U.S. News and World Report, ACC schools were well represented within the medical rankings with five schools ranked among the top 50 in medical research and four in the top 50 in primary care.
Member of the ACC Medical Advisory Group:
Dr. Robert Nascimento, Medical Director & Team Physician, Boston College
Dr. Bailey Nevels, Coordinator of Psychological Health Services for Student-athletes, Clemson
Dr. Cameron Wolfe, Associate Professor of Medicine – Transplant Infectious Disease, Duke
Dr. Leslie Beitsch, Chair of Behavioral Sciences & Social Medicine, Florida State
Dr. Angelo Galante, Chief Medical Officer, Georgia Tech
Dr. Kevin Gardner, Executive Vice President of Research & Innovation, Louisville
Dr. Erin Kobetz, Professor of Medicine & Public Health Services, Miami
Dr. Mario Ciocca, Director of Sports Medicine, North Carolina
Dr. Julie Casani, Director & Medical Director of Student Health Services, NC State
Dr. Matt Leiszler, Team Physician, Notre Dame
Dr. Art Levine, Sr. Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences & School of Medicine, Pittsburgh
Brad Pike, Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine, Syracuse
Dr. John MacKnight, Medical Director for Sports Medicine, Virginia
Dr. Mark Rogers, Chief Medical Officer, Team Physician, Virginia Tech
Murphy Grant, Sr. Associate Athletic Director, Athletics Health Care Administrator, Wake Forest
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