OET Listening Parte C: Behind the Scenes: Olympic Medical

So, Dr Mene, what did being CMO mean?

Well, it meant overseeing 77 other health care professionals and taking care of 228 U.S. Olympians.

As CMO, I worked in tandem with a team to deliver the highest level of care to our athletes.

We were using the latest technology, evaluating a mix of treatments to ensure peak performance,

and were ready to respond to whatever might have come our way.

It also meant working long and busy hours during the Games,

where the team faced everything from common colds and illness, to traumatic injury.

And it also meant having compassion and understanding while applying your medical expertise in a fast-moving environment.

Can you give me a "behind-the-scenes" description of what the medical support of the athletes looked like.

Yes, absolutely.

Well, it looked pretty much like any medical clinic you might be familiar with.

There were dozens of boxes shipped to Sochi so that we were able to care for our athletes.

Our doctors saw everything from coughs and flu to sprains and breaks.

As a result, we had a comprehensive team assembled to address whatever health-related need might have come through the door.

We looked like a mix of care providers, such as athletic trainers and physical therapists or chiropractors and massage therapists,

to assess and provide the best solution to the problem.

Our goal was to have our athletes back on the slope, track or rink as fast as possible, performing at their peak.

I see, and...

Who cared for the athletes if there was a life-threatening injury?

Well, if a situation like that had arisen, and I'm very happy to be able to say that, thankfully it didn't,

the intervention of doctors, specialists and emergency providers from the Olympic Organizing Committee and our Team USA doctors would have absolutely been vital.

We always had one of our physicians with the team during training and at competitions at the various sites.

That gave us the flexibility to provide immediate care should the situation have occurred.

We felt pretty confident that through our collaborative efforts, we could care for our athletes in just about any situation.

Well done.

And how did you approach injury prevention?

Preventing injuries was certainly a major part of the support we provided.

Aiding athletes and coaches to condition appropriately and prime their bodies with good nutrition and recovery efforts while in Sochi was all part of the "whole" care we provided while we were there.

We were able to use technology to assess and evaluate our athletes to ensure they were at their peak to perform.

The travel and extreme competition did take a toll on the athlete's bodies, but we did our best to keep our athletes healthy in every respect.

And were there any new technologies used by the US medical team in Sochi?

Well, one of the tools we used was a groundbreaking form of software,

which provided our physicians and athletes the ability to communicate health information instantaneously and securely.

The software maintained diagnostics, treatment evaluations and test results, and it was all accessible virtually.

This was especially critical when we were traveling from venue to venue in a foreign country.

I have since implemented this same software in my private practice.

Now, no matter who is involved in the patient's care,

the healthcare professional has easy access to all the critical information and can respond accordingly.

We also had several ultrasound machines that we traveled with,

which was an incredible diagnostic tool for many musculoskeletal injuries.

And finally, how might other young physicians follow in your footsteps?

Well, I would encourage any physician that aspires to this kind of appointment to begin connecting with officials in their area of interest.

My work with the U.S. Cycling Team helped build my reputation among other elite sports organizations,

where I was able to establish relationships and convey my interest in working with them.

You know, it can take a lot of time volunteering, but the work is invigorating and stimulating

because you learn so much in the process, especially if you are passionate about it.

I really do believe I am a better physician and surgeon because I have had the chance to work in these various situations.

I can bring that experience back to my private practice, which elevates care for everyone.