Student Handbook Sports Medicine/Training Policies and Procedures

The University of North Florida Medical Team consists of full-time certified/ licensed athletic trainers, athletic training students from the CAATE accredited Athletic Training Program at the UNF College of Health, Southeast Orthopedic Specialists, Memorial Hospital, the Mayo Clinic and Brooks Rehabilitation. This medical team is responsible for the health care of all student-athletes and is assisted by an exceptional group of local physicians who serve as consultants in specialty areas that include: Cardiology, Chiropractic Medicine, ENT, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, OB & GYN, Ophthalmology, Orthopedic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Physical Therapy, Dentistry, Podiatry, and General Surgery.

Preseason Physical Exams

All rostered freshmen, transfers and new student-athletes who have not previously participated for UNF must have a physical examination by the Team Physician prior to participating in any practice (including conditioning and weightlifting). Returning student-athletes must complete a Returning Athletic Physical Evaluation form prior to the first team practice, conditioning or weightlifting. If either the returning student-athlete or the certified athletic trainer feels that a condition is present which requires an examination by the Team Physician, one will be scheduled by the certified athletic trainer and must take place prior to the first practice (including conditioning and weightlifting).

If a student-athlete fails the physical examination given by the Team Physician, they are not eligible to participate in any intercollegiate activity until the condition or injury causing the failure is resolved.

Sickle Cell Trait Testing

All incoming and transfer student-athletes must be tested for sickle cell trait or show proof of a prior test. A slow buildup of conditioning activities and frequent rest-and-recovery periods is recommended for all student-athletes because this approach can reduce adverse effects caused by sickle cell trait. A student-athlete that has been determined to have sickle cell trait must engage in a slow and gradual preseason conditioning regimen to be prepared for sport specific activities. They must be allowed adequate rest-and-recovery between repetitions, stop activity immediately when experiencing symptoms such as muscle pain, abnormal weakness, undue fatigue or breathlessness, refrain from extreme exercise during acute illness or while experiencing a fever and seek prompt medical care when experiencing unusual distress. Student-athletes will be informed of the above precautions if they have sickle cell trait and should notify the sports medicine staff if they begin experiencing symptoms at any time. Appropriate educational materials will be provided to a student-athlete when it is determined he/she has tested positive for sickle cell trait.

Cardiovascular Testing

All incoming and transfer student-athletes must go through cardiovascular testing. On-site cardiac diagnostic testing is scheduled during pre-participation physicals.

End-of-Season Physicals

All student-athletes must complete an end-of-season physical with a Sports Medicine staff member at the completion of their championship sports season.

All incoming student-athletes, freshmen or transfers, must “pass” both the General Medical and Orthopedic Evaluations of the Pre-Participation Physical Exam to qualify for participation. If a student-athlete “fails” one or both evaluations as the result of pre-existing condition and/or injury, it is the responsibility of the student-athlete to seek further treatment and/ or rehabilitation for the condition and/or injury. Upon completion of the treatment and/or rehabilitation, the student-athlete may again be evaluated by the UNF Medical Team to determine his/her participation status. UNF will NOT be financially responsible for any pre-existing condition and/or injury.

The main athletic training room (Arthur “Buster” Browning Athletic Training and Education Center) is located in Hodges Stadium and the coverage is as follows:

1. Beginning on the first day of classes and ending on the last day of final exams during the fall and spring semesters, the athletic training room is open from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The athletic training facilities will be open on the weekends according to practice and competition schedules.
   1. Practice and/or competition schedules may dictate a variation of operating hours.
   2. A certified athletic trainer is assigned to the room during operational hours.
   3. Athletic training students work as their assigned sport schedule dictates.
2. The UNF athletic training room is not open for regular hours during holidays and academic breaks. It will only be open to accommodate in-season teams and for other approved needs by appointment.

All injuries resulting from participation in athletic competition (including practices, games, conditioning, and team travel) must be reported as soon as possible to the Athletic Training staff. All other injuries and illness should also be reported to the Athletic Training staff even though they may not be the financial responsibility of the UNF Athletic Department.

If a student-athlete refuses a recommended or required treatment plan by the Sports Medicine staff they may be ruled ineligible to compete. This includes any diagnostic testing and mental health counseling recommended by team physicians. Each medical case will be reviewed by the Sports Medicine staff, and student-athletes may not be permitted to participate in any organized athletic activity until the recommended treatment plan is completed.

After an evaluation, a certified athletic trainer may refer the student-athlete to the team physician for treatment or to an appropriate specialist if needed. A UNF Medical Team member must medically clear the student-athlete before he/she will be allowed to return to participation. If a student-athlete is seen by a physician without a UNF Athletic Training Room referral, for an injury or illness resulting from athletic participation, UNF will not be financially responsible for any incurred bills. A UNF Medical Team member must make all referrals. Treatment for injuries and illnesses not related to athletic participation will be the responsibility of the student-athlete.

In case of serious injury or illness, a certified athletic trainer may refer the student-athlete to an emergency facility. If a certified athletic trainer is not present, it is the student-athlete’s responsibility to contact his/her certified athletic trainer prior to going or as soon as possible following an emergency treatment.

When a student-athlete becomes ill or injured, he/she must be referred by the Athletic Training Staff to a medical facility for treatment. The Athletic Training Staff will provide the student-athlete with information to register appropriately with the facility. Any group or personal insurance will be considered primary and UNF Athletic Department Insurance will be secondary. This procedure allows the Athletic Department to pay any remaining balances, including deductibles or co-payments, on claims. Failure by a student-athlete to register correctly or to provide primary insurance information to the medical facility will result in a delay in processing medical claims payments and will render the student-athlete solely responsible for all medical bills if the appropriate dates for coverage by UNF’s insurer have passed. It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to keep all personal insurance information up-to-date with the athletic training staff. The NCAA dictates bills be paid by the University. The UNF Athletic Department will follow NCAA regulations in all situations.

UNF and its athletic insurance carrier will be responsible for the payment of medical bills from injuries and/or illnesses that have been deemed “athletically related” for a two-year period beginning on the date of injury and/or illness. Proper insurance procedures must continue to be followed throughout this period. At the conclusion of this time period, all medical bills will be the responsibility of the student-athlete.

Upon completion of athletic participation eligibility, the student-athlete will have one month to notify, in writing, a UNF Athletic Trainer of any injury and/or illness that occurs after the mandated end-of-the season physical completed by each student-athlete.

1. Completion of eligibility may occur through graduation, completion of NCAA allowed seasons, being released from a team for any reason, or voluntary withdrawal from a team.
2. Written notification to the UNF Athletic Staff is the responsibility of the student-athlete.
3. UNF will only be responsible for injury and/or illness that had been deemed athletically related.
4. UNF Medical Team will serve as the medical providers.

The UNF Sports Medicine/Athletic Training Department recognizes that sport induced concussions pose a significant health risk for those student-athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics at UNF. With this in mind, the SM/AT Department has implemented policies and procedures to assess and identify those student-athletes who have suffered a concussion. The Sports Medicine Department also recognizes that baseline neurocognitive testing on student-athletes who participate in sports which have been identified as collision and or contact sports and/or who have had a history of concussions prior to entering UNF will provide significant data for return to participation decisions. This baseline data, along with physical examination and/or further diagnostic testing, will be used in conjunction when determining when it is safe for a student-athlete to return to participation.

When a student-athlete is suspected of having a head injury, they will be removed from participation and evaluated by the Certified Athletic Trainer and/or Team Physician present. The student–athlete will be evaluated for signs and symptoms of concussion that include, but are not limited to; loss of consciousness, confusion, visual disturbances, headache, nausea, dizziness, disorientation, delayed motor or verbal responses, disequilibrium, slurred speech. Per NCAA guidelines, if the student-athlete demonstrates or reports any of these signs or symptoms the student-athlete will not be allowed to return to participation. Evaluation of the student-athlete will include initial evaluation by the SM/AT Staff, ImPACT Testing and the Standardized Assessment of Concussion Test. The student-athlete will have a follow-up evaluation by a physician to determine a plan for return to play.