DALLAS – The National Athletic Trainers’ Association honored renowned orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist James R. Andrews, MD, with the President’s Award during the NATA’s 69th Clinical Symposia & AT Expo June 28 in New Orleans.
The President’s Award recipient is chosen by the NATA president for unwavering leadership and support of the athletic training profession. Andrews has been a strong supporter of athletic trainers since his early days in medicine and is a firm believer in the value an athletic trainer adds to health care.
During the presentation, outgoing NATA President Scott Sailor, EdD, ATC, highlighted the reasons for his selection. “Over his decades of serving athletes, both young and old, Dr. Andrews has become known as not only a caring and compassionate surgeon but, an innovator and trailblazer, constantly striving to improve the care he and his team are able to provide to their patients. He values athletic trainers but he also stands for what we as athletic trainers stand for – excellent care for our patients.”
Andrews is the medical director for Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Under his leadership and reputation, Baptist Health Care founded Andrews Institute in 2007.
The NATA President’s Award began in 2016. Previous recipients include Brian Hainline, MD, NCAA chief medical officer (2016), and Rick Burkholder, MS, ATC, Kansas City Chiefs vice president of sports medicine and performance (2017).