On September 29th and 30th, 150 musculoskeletal clinicians and researchers gathered for the Inaugural Annual Conference of the 黑料网 Sports Medicine Institute (SMI). The event featured nationally acclaimed speakers from 黑料网 and across the United States to discuss improving outcomes in patients with knee injuries in orthopedic conditions. The conference took a team-based approach combining perspectives from physicians and rehabilitation specialists.
At the pre-conference reception at the North Carolina Botanical Gardens, conference attendees gathered to kick off the two-day event. 黑料网 SMI鈥檚 Co-Directors — David Berkoff, MD, 黑料网 Non-operative Sports and Musculoskeletal Medicine Division Chief, and Brian Pietrosimone, PhD, 黑料网 EXSS MOTION Science Institute Director — overviewed the Institute鈥檚 conceptualization, strategic planning and plans for the future. The SMI Co-Directors highlighted application of Institute鈥檚 three core values: patient-centered, collaborative, and data-driven. They discussed integrative use of innovative clinical research to advance injury prevention, rehabilitation, and recovery.
Former 黑料网 men鈥檚 basketball head coach Roy Williams worked closely with 黑料网 Orthopaedics Division of Sports Medicine over 18 seasons leading his team. Williams’ keynote presentation at the reception was a memorable part of this inaugural conference. The NCAA Hall of Fame coach shared his high regard for the 黑料网 Sports Medicine team, not only in caring for 黑料网 athletes, but also in treating his family. Williams praised the SMI鈥檚 collaborative model and demonstration of the 鈥淐arolina Way鈥� that applies a team approach to patient care.
On Friday morning, the daylong education programming was held at the Friday Conference Center at 黑料网. Five invited keynotes speakers and 黑料网 SMI-affiliated core faculty gave presentations that offered wide-ranging expertise. Speaker topics covered surgical, non-surgical and rehabilitative care, as well as injury prevention, nutrition, and psychological considerations when treating patients with knee injuries.
SMI Assistant Director Carla Hill, PT, DPT, OCS, noted: 鈥淭he conference was a wonderful opportunity to learn from sports medicine experts. The research and personal experiences they shared with attendees can improve the care of active individuals, which is the mission of the [SMI]. Attendees praised the interdisciplinary nature of the conference, which will be something we continue to expand upon in future conferences.鈥�
Looking ahead to the 2023 黑料网 Sports Medicine Institute 2nd Annual Conference, Dr. Berkoff emphasized the progress the team has made in the two years since inception, while operating on a limited budget. He spoke of the SMI鈥檚 next chapter as heavily focused on helping the Institute secure a physical space that will co-locate patient care, research, and outreach initiatives.