"When Seconds Matter: The Hidden Work of Athletic Trainers" with Thaddeus Avery
04/23/25 • 36 min
The stakes for student athletics are higher than ever before, with athletes getting recruited at a young age and even receiving NIL money while in high school. In this environment, it’s more important than ever to ensure every student has access to high quality athletic training. In this episode, Thaddeus Avery joins the podcast to discuss the work Campbell Clinic is doing to partner with schools across Memphis and care for student athletes. Thaddeus is Campbell Clinic’s Director of Athletic Training and the Vice President of the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society.
Episode Recap:
- In this episode, Thaddeus Avery is talking about the evolution of athletic training for students (1:12)
- What’s changed with the high school sports landscape? (2:02)
- How does Campbell Clinic partner with schools, and how does it benefit students? (6:24)
- Can you share a story of a student athlete you’ve helped? (11:02)
- How do you define athletic training? (17:05)
- What is challenging about the field of athletic training? (18:10)
- Can you tell us about your work with the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society (22:38)
- How can immediate access to care save students’ lives? (27:20)
- What are you most passionate about, and what keeps you engaged with this work? (32:09)
Links and Resources:
The stakes for student athletics are higher than ever before, with athletes getting recruited at a young age and even receiving NIL money while in high school. In this environment, it’s more important than ever to ensure every student has access to high quality athletic training. In this episode, Thaddeus Avery joins the podcast to discuss the work Campbell Clinic is doing to partner with schools across Memphis and care for student athletes. Thaddeus is Campbell Clinic’s Director of Athletic Training and the Vice President of the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society.
Episode Recap:
- In this episode, Thaddeus Avery is talking about the evolution of athletic training for students (1:12)
- What’s changed with the high school sports landscape? (2:02)
- How does Campbell Clinic partner with schools, and how does it benefit students? (6:24)
- Can you share a story of a student athlete you’ve helped? (11:02)
- How do you define athletic training? (17:05)
- What is challenging about the field of athletic training? (18:10)
- Can you tell us about your work with the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society (22:38)
- How can immediate access to care save students’ lives? (27:20)
- What are you most passionate about, and what keeps you engaged with this work? (32:09)
Links and Resources:
Previous Episode
The Hidden Side of Patient Safety: What Every Surgery Patient Should Know
We’ve come a very long way in the area of patient safety over the past 20 years. In this episode, Dr. David Richardson returns to the podcast to explain how he prioritizes patient safety during every procedure and interaction — from risk assessment, to pre-op checklists, to the surgery itself. He also talks about some of the big picture changes he’s seen in patient safety throughout his career, and he explains why he’s so excited by the potential of AI and other new technologies.
Episode Recap:
- Today Dr. David Richardson is returning to the podcast to talk about patient safety (1:22)
- Why is patient safety so important to talk about right now? (3:01)
- How does Campbell Clinic prioritize patient safety? (5:12)
- What has changed in the last two decades? (8:02)
- Can you walk us through your safety checklist for each procedure? (14:43)
- How do pressure and responsibility drive you? (21:29)
- What does risk assessment look like in orthopaedics? (22:46)
- How do you respond when complications happen? (25:53)
- What keeps you engaged in this work? (29:23)
- How is AI transforming patient safety? (34:29)
Links and Resources:
Next Episode
"Revolutionizing Recovery: Cutting-Edge Techniques in Physical Therapy" with Carie McPhail
There’s more to recovery than just surgery, and at Campbell Clinic, patients have the benefit of working with experienced physical therapists who are committed to using all the best technologies at their disposal. In this episode, Carie McPhail joins the podcast to discuss her 13-year physical therapy career at Campbell Clinic and break down some of the latest technological innovations, from shockwave to wearables and more. Carie also explains how getting to know her patients personally helps her deliver better care, and she discusses Campbell Clinic’s unique approach to education and innovation.
Episode Recap:
- In this episode, Carie McPhail will discuss the integration of new technologies into physical therapy (1:19)
- How does physical therapy connect to orthopaedics? (2:20)
- Can you share some examples of how physical therapy helps patients after surgery? (5:08)
- How do strong patient relationships help create better outcomes? (7:19)
- How does physical therapy differ in the U.S., and how has it evolved? (8:32)
- Why are dry needling and wearables so useful in physical therapy? (10:55)
- What sets Campbell Clinic’s physical therapists apart? (14:22)
- How is Campbell Clinic using shockwave therapy? (16:21)
- What keeps you at Campbell Clinic after 13 years? (20:24)
- How will residency programs play a bigger role in physical therapy in the future? (23:33)
- What are you most passionate about? (25:10)
- How does the open line of communication between surgeons and therapists help patients? (27:05)
Links and Resources:
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