Medical Partnership
Oct 10, 2024
Slam dunk
Dr. Ashley Austin is a 2014 graduate of the Medical Partnership. She is currently the team physician for the New York Liberty in the WNBA.
My ultimate dream was to come full circle from playing Division 1 collegiate basketball to then taking care of women’s basketball players, who will always hold a special place in my heart. It is a way that I have been able to stay around the game of basketball even after all these years. I have now done this at the collegiate level (University of Washington women’s basketball team physician, Seattle, Washington) and professional level (team physician, New York Liberty, New York, New York). I was also selected as one of four physicians to spend a month in the WNBA COVID bubble (the “Wubble”) and take care of all of the teams during the 2020 season.
Until recently, the WNBA was one of the most under-resourced professional sports associations. Despite being a great landing place for players in their post-collegiate years, there was still room for a lot of improvement with marketing and advertisement, player salary increases (many WNBA players until recently took on second jobs in the off-season or played overseas to support themselves and their families), dedicated practice and game facilities, and having consistently, high quality medical and performance staff. Historically, these WNBA teams were also covered by healthcare providers who were men.
Much has changed since I first started watching the WNBA in its inaugural season in 1997. Salaries have increased enough for many players to just play in the WNBA as their only job. The league has expanded to 12 teams, and television coverage is higher than ever. Teams are selling out arenas and getting their own practice facilities separate from their NBA counterparts. Teams are also diversifying their healthcare staff.
It is my greatest honor to now be a part of the healthcare team for one of the original eight teams of the WNBA. It is the ultimate opportunity, and I do not take any day for granted. In a way, I feel like I have grown up with this league.
I’m a big believer that our medical team should, in part, be reflective of the population we service. It is an amazing work environment to work with members of our performance team who are also women and underrepresented in their respective fields.
Behind the scenes of a game day
8:30-4:30 PM: Workday at hospital for special surgery.
-Receive updated player injury report & game status.
4:45-5:30 PM: Travel to Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York during NYC rush hour traffic!
5:30 PM: Drop things in the training room and assess if any players need to be seen before the game. This is usually facilitated by the performance staff, which includes athletic trainers, exercise physiologists, physical therapists, dieticians, massage therapists, and chiropractors.
5:30-6:30 PM: Sitting in the training room while players get taped or are doing warm-up exercises and training activities. This is also another opportunity for informal check-ins with players who are stopping through and who have had recent ailments. It is also a way to be visible and present in case something unexpected comes up.
6:30-6:50 PM: Eat a pre-game meal.
6:50 PM: Medical meeting between the New York Liberty Medical Staff and the local EMS team, as well as the visiting athletic trainers to review the emergency action plan, including the protocol for a sudden cardiac arrest or emergency requiring CPR, other medical emergencies, and orthopedic emergencies. We also discuss the hospitals we will transport to if an athlete needs a higher level of care than can be provided at the stadium.
6:55-7:00 PM: Last bathroom break before the game starts. Go to team physician-assigned seating (usually not directly behind the bench or on the floor level with the bench, given it would be difficult to watch the game while having to look over athletes who are tall).
7:00 PM: Tip-off
Halftime: Hang out in the training room and be available for anything that might come in.
9:00 PM: Game ends
9:00 PM – ?: Management of any post-game musculoskeletal injuries or medical ailments.
-Post-game meal