Injury prevention and management is one of the most important priorities of USSA with its national teams. USSA’s medical department is a division within Athletics with its main focus to provide effective athlete medical management including health, injury prevention, acute injury and return from injury. The division also works for improved safety in event organization and equipment, and maintains a level field of play through anti-doping policy – critical components to achieving the goal of best in the world.

USSA Medical Director Richard Quincy manages the division with support and direction from USSA Chief Physician Dr. Richard Steadman and the USSA Medical Committee. The division directs overall policy and procedures governing the medical care and management of USSA athletes, including management of all support systems.

Medical services are provided to A, B and C Team athletes in all sports. Each sport is allocated a head Team physical therapist (PT) and/or certified athletic trainer (ATC) to medically manage athletes under the guidance of the team physician and medical director. They also utilize additional therapists and/or athletic trainers, medical regional sponsors and volunteer physicians from the USSA Medical Pool. The head Team PT and/or ATC travels on a consistent basis, primarily with A and B Teams, in addition to coordinating coverage for various divisions of the teams as they separate in camps or competition. Although additional PT’s and/or ATC’s provide daily medical care and treatment for the division they are covering, it is still the responsibility of the head Team PT and/or ATC to be aware of all athletes’ participation status at all times.

This program is dependent on the commitment of dedicated volunteers and sponsors who provide the additional resources necessary to ensure the best possible medical care. Volunteers are integrated within the medical program through the USSA medical committee, physician pool, regional medical sponsors and the physical therapy and/or athletic training PT/ATC pool.

The USSA medical committee’s primary function is to provide resources, direction and guidance through recommendations regarding overall policy and procedure governing medical care of Team athletes. Committee members also provide networking resources for expertise in medical care sought for athletes based on specific situations. The committee is comprised of team physicians closely involved in medical management of athletes in addition to specialists who provide guidance and recommendations.


2004-08 Medical Committee
Chairman -- Dr. Richard Steadman, Steadman Hawkins Clinic, Vail, CO
Men’s Alpine -- Dr. Terrence Orr, Tahoe Fracture & Orthopedics, Tahoe, CA
Women’s Alpine -- Dr. William Sterett, Steadman Hawkins Clinic, Vail, CO
Freestyle -- Dr. Andreas Sauerbrey, Orthopedics of Steamboat Springs, CO
Snowboard -- Dr. Thomas Hackett, Steadman Hawkins Clinic, Vail, CO
Nordic -- Dr. Larry Gaul, Avanti Cardiology, Vail, CO
Alpine Development -- Dr. Vern Cooley, Rosenberg-Cooley-Metcalf Clinic, Park City, UT

USSA has seven full-time medical staff members including the medical director, a resident physical therapist, and the five head athletic trainers or physical therapists for each discipline that spend much of the year on the road with the teams.  Click the name below for a full bio of each full-time staff member:

Medical Director -- Richard Quincy, MS, PT, ATC
Men's Alpine -- Todd Daniels, MS, ATC, CSCS
Women’s Alpine -- Christa Riepe, ATC
Freestyle -- Justin Hunt, MS, ATC
Snowboard -- Gillian Honeyman, PT, SCS
Nordic -- Aaron Saari, MS, PT
Resident Physical Therapist -- April Milan, DPT, PCS

USSA has developed a regional medical sponsorship program to formalize the many established relationships with medical service providers across the country. This includes hospitals, physical therapy clinics and medical clinics. These sponsorships currently supply extensive physical therapy/athletic trainer support to the rotational pool, sports medicine supplies, expedited medical services and athlete injury rehabilitation. Most of all they provide seamless continuity of care for USSA athletes, optimizing proper medical management as well as assisting USSA manage expenses associated with medical services.

Hospitals
Barton Memorial Hospital, South Lake Tahoe, CA
Mammoth Hospital, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Vail Valley Medical Center, Vail, CA

Orthopedic Clinics
Desert Orthopedics, Bend, OR
Rosenberg-Cooley-Metcalf Clinic, Park City, UT
Steadman Hawkins Clinic, Vail, CO
Tahoe Fracture and Orthopedic Clinic, Lake Tahoe, CA

Family Health/Urgent Care Facilities
Park City Family Health and Urgent Care Center, Park City, UT
Vail Valley Medical Center Clinics, Vail, CO

Physical Therapy Clinics
Howard Head Sports Medicine Center, Vail, CO
Myers & Associates Physical Therapy, Mammoth, CA
Olympic Physical Therapy, Seattle, WA
Saco Bay Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy, Portland, ME

The USSA physician pool is composed of more than 120 selected licensed medical providers of various specialties who volunteer their time and resources to provide medical services to USSA Teams at training camps and competitions.

Team Physicians
Team physicians are responsible for keeping abreast of the medical issues involved with athletes they oversee. They serve as the primary resource for the head coach, head Team PT/ATC, medical director regarding medical issues relating to an athlete’s ability to train or compete. They also provide recommendations regarding further evaluation, diagnostic procedures and treatment plans and maintain up-to-date information on the medical and participation status of all athletes.

USSA Physician Pool Program
The USSA Physician Pool is comprised of more than 120 licensed medical providers of various specialties who volunteer their time and financial resources to provide medical services to the Team. Requirements include screening by the USSA Medical Committee and regular participation in USSA training courses. Once established as active pool members, physicians are scheduled annually to travel with a team to provide medical care and assistance to USSA athletes and staff.

Physician Pool Application
Any physician interested in participating in the USSA physician pool program is invited to do so by satisfying the requirements listed below and submitting the requested documents and information to the medical director at USSA. The Medical Director and the Medical Committee will meet on an annual basis to review applications and determine acceptance as "Active Members" of the Medical Pool.

New applicants will be requested to complete an initial travel or coverage assignment with a team on a trial basis. Once they have been evaluated, and with a successful event they may be officially added to the USSA physician pool the following year. Use of USSA physician logo and association with USSA will not be allowed until officially added to the pool as an “Active Member”. Failure to meet the goals and expectations may result in a one-year probation period followed by removal from "Active Pool."

Physician pool Application Requirements

• U.S. Citizen and currently board certified in your field of practice
• History of involvement in athlete, event or athletic team coverage
• No limited scope restrictions or sanctions against medical license, nor history of loss of medical license
• Must be capable of performing the essential functions of the position (for example ski ability on alpine courses) and be available essentially on call 24/7 while traveling with respective team
• Willing to provide the financial resources necessary to travel with a team on a trip at least every other year
• Current background screening through USSA
• Current malpractice Insurance coverage

Physician pool Application Documents
Submit the following documents to the attention of the USSA medical director and USSA medical committee:

• Current Curriculum Vitae
• A minimum of 3 letters of reference from peers, coaches/athletes, athletic directors, and staff members of organizations you have worked with in the past.
• Verification of credentials, license and DEA #
• Proof of malpractice insurance

Maintaining “Active Member" status in USSA Physician Pool

• Pool physicians are expected to travel once every three years to maintain “active” status.
• Attendance at USSA Medical Emergencies in Skiing and Snowboarding (MESS) CME course once every three years to stay abreast of current standards and policies.

US Ski or Snowboard Physician Pool Logo Use
In recognition of the importance of your contribution to the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding, physicians who are an active current member of the USSA physician pool will be allowed to use an annually updated Team physician logo icon. The icon will include the respective Team logo, packaged with appropriate text. USSA physician pool members can access the logos available along with specific usage guidelines and terminology as follows:

• “Active Member of USSA Physician Pool”
• You are not allowed use of the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding Shield Logos. These are reserved for our Medical Regional Sponsors only. Report the misuse of any of US Ski/Snowboard Team logos to the Medical director for appropriate action to take place.

USSA has established a rotational pool of volunteer athletic trainers and physical therapists from various regional sponsors around the country to provide daily medical management of teams at camps or competitions that our head Team PT/ATC’s are unable to cover. These individuals are responsible for the acute care and daily medical management while with the assigned team and communicating ongoing medical issue management strategies to the head Team PT/ATC to ensure continuity of medical care. The rotational pool is completely voluntary or sponsored by USSA Regional Medical Sponsors and the individuals involved in this program take time away from established employment to provide medical care with USSA Teams. Each Team is responsible to provide all travel and accommodation expenses while with the respective team

Physical Therapist and/or Athletic Trainer (PT/ATC) Pool Program Requirements

• Certified athletic trainer or licensed physical therapist with a background in sports injuries
• Current first aid and CPR (Professional Rescuer) with bag valve mask and AED certification
• History of involvement in athlete, event and athletic team coverage
• Advanced ski or snowboard ability
• Must be capable of performing the essential functions of the position and be available essentially on call 24/7 while traveling with respective team
• Independent in traveling and adaptable/flexible in adverse working conditions
• PT/ATC Pool reports directly to the head coach of assigned team, head Team PT/ATC and USSA medical director
• Current background screening

PT/ATC Pool Application Documents
Submit the following documents attention: USSA medical director:

• Current Curriculum Vita
• Proof of professional liability insurance
• Copy of current passport
• Proof of athletic training certification (BOCATC) and/or licensure or copy of APTA licensure
• Copy of current advanced CPR with valve bag mask and AED certificate

Maintaining “Active Member” status in USSA PT/ATC Pool

• Attend the USSA Medical Emergencies Course once every three years to stay abreast of current standards and policies

The United Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) is the national governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding in the USA.  USSA manages all aspects of competitive skiing from youth to junior development programs through to the national and Olympic teams.  Athletic sponsorship is provided to the national elite athletes in the following sports:  alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, ski jumping, mogul skiing, aerial skiing and snowboarding.  The vision of the USSA is to make the United States of America the best in the world in Olympic skiing and snowboarding.

USSA's medical department is a division within Athletics with its main focus to provide effective athlete medical management including health care, injury prevention, acute injury management, rehabilitation and return to snow.  The division also works for improved safety in event organization and equipment, and maintains a level field of play through anti-doping policies which is a critical components to achieving the goal of best in the world through the US Olympic Committee.

Professionals both in the field of athletic training and physical therapy support the USSA medical department.  Opportunities for internships in Athletic Training and Physical Therapy are offered during the summer and fall months at our Training Center in Utah.  The placement of these positions best occurs from June 15th through September 15th.  A stipend of $500 dollars per month is paid for each intern with a maximum of 3 months per internship.  A single internship is available for an Athletic Training student and one for a Physical Therapy student.

USSA provides an environment that encourages critical thinking and provides a practice setting that emphasizes the opportunity for clinical experience in the field of outpatient orthopedics and sports physical therapy.  This internship should be the final clinical experience for a student with emphasis on formal clinical assessment, implementation of treatment plans and rehabilitation programs that focus on returning athletes to competition.

Deadline for submission of Application is December 15th.
Decision of acceptance for Internship Program is February 28th.

USSA is committed to promoting education and development of medical professionals in the skiing and snowboarding industry.  If you have an interest in being an intern with USSA, please contact Richard Quincy at rquincy@ussa.org.