The NFL, NFL Physicians Society (NFLPS) and Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) are committed to increasing diversity in sports medicine. The NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative was developed to encourage medical students from diverse backgrounds to consider sports medicine careers.

The program provides medical students with the opportunity to complete a clinical rotation with NFL club medical staffs across the league. During their rotations, students will observe and participate in the care of players in NFL club settings. Students will work directly with and under the supervision of the orthopedic team physicians, primary care team physicians and athletic trainers to gain basic medical knowledge and exposure to patient care in sports medicine.

Additionally, students will become familiar with return-to-play guidelines and on-field treatment considerations for NFL players. Students may also have the opportunity to attend home games and be present on the sideline for observation. By the end of the rotation, students will understand the basic elements of all facets of care provided to NFL players from an orthopedic, primary care sports medicine and athletic training perspective.

The inaugural program for the 2022 season was comprised of students from the four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) medical schools – Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Howard University College of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Meharry Medical College. In 2023, student participants will join clubs from 19 total medical schools.

A complete roster of the 2023 participating students can be found here. 

More information on the program can be found here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did the NFL, NFLPS and PFATS launch this initiative?

A: We know that diversity makes us stronger. It is well-established in scientific and medical literature that diverse medical staff lead to improved patient outcomes, and our organizations are committed to providing world-class care for our players. This initiative part of a long-term effort to help broaden the pipeline of diverse medical professionals entering the field of sports medicine.

A 2021 study that examines diversity of the medical student population, shows Black medical students comprise only 7.3 percent of the total medical school population in the U.S. – a figure that has risen less than 1 percent over the last 40 years and is far lower than the 13.4 percent Black population in the United States.

According to the American Association of Medical Colleges, enrollment of diverse students is increasing. During the 2022-23 academic year, "the number of Black or African American matriculants increased by 9%," and "matriculants who are Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin increased by 4%," while "American Indian or Alaska Native matriculants declined by 9%." The NFL's Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative is expanding to provide more students with an interest in sports medicine exposure and opportunities in the field.

According to the NFLPS, 86 percent of their membership identify as white, 8 percent identify as Asian, 5 percent identify as Black and 1 percent identify as Hispanic. According to PFATS, 65 percent of their membership identify as white, 23 percent identify as Black, 8 percent identify as Hispanic and 4 percent identify as Asian.

Q: Who do the medical students work with during their clinical rotations?

A: Students work directly with the orthopedic team physicians, primary care team physicians, athletic trainers and other members of the club medical staff to gain basic medical knowledge and exposure to patient care in sports medicine.

More frequently asked questions and answers can be found here.