Ravens doctor wins NFL Physician of the Year Award
Numerous sub-teams help comprise an excellent unit with any NFL team. When we hear the word "team," we usually think of only the squad of players. However, several other teams, equally important but overlooked, are critical to the NFL franchise's success.
The medical staff is a perfect example. The Baltimore Ravens have claimed another award this offseason, but this one is off-the-field. The team's lead Orthopedicist, Dr. Leigh Ann Curl, has won the coveted Jerry "Hawk" Rhea Award, which honors the NFL Team Physician of the Year.
The NFL Physicians Society, or NFLPS, gives out the award. Curl was presented with the plaudit during the NFLPS Annual Scientific Meeting and Symposium, which took place at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
"We are all grateful for Dr Curl's dedication and leadership in the medical care of athletes throughout the league," said Dr. James Voos, the NFLPS President and lead team doctor for the Cleveland Browns. Curl, who attended UConn on a basketball scholarship, was a four-year starter for the women's team.
Curl, the first female team physician in NFL history, was previously a team doctor for the New York Mets. Like Voos, Ravens head trainer Adrian Dixon also praised Curl's work.
"Dr. Curl is unquestionably one of the best orthopedists in the industry. Her attention to detail and analytical approach to providing care is remarkable and impressive," Dixon said. Dr. Curl, who is a past NFLPS President, has been with the club since 1998. She is also the Chief Orthopedist (doctor specializing in bone treatment) at MedStar Harbor Hospital in Baltimore.
According to the NFLPS' official web page, she is one of five team doctors the Ravens currently have on staff. This quintet is often overlooked, but they are a crucial part of what has made the Ravens such a successful franchise.
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