The National Football League is setting out to bring more diversity into sports medicine — and has tapped Howard University to help build up the pipeline.
The NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative, announced Tuesday, will recruit medical students from the Howard University College of Medicine and those of three other historically Black colleges and universities — Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Morehouse School of Medicine and Meharry Medical College — to complete monthlong clinical rotations with medical staff of various NFL clubs during the 2022 season.
The roster includes the Washington Commanders, as well as the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams.
The program aims to expose future doctors to careers in sports medicine, which would help to diversify the pipeline for both the league’s medical staff and the field overall. And that’s important to improving outcomes and ensuring health equity for athletes.
