American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
For Immediate Release Apr 16, 2019

Prestigious Founders’ Award Presented to Dr. Chad Carlson at AMSSM Annual Meeting​

Incoming President Chad Carlson, MD received the Founders’ Award on April 16, 2019 at the 28th American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) Annual Meeting in Houston, TX. The award is bestowed when AMSSM leadership determines that a member exemplifies the best that a sports medicine physician can be and do.

Among his many contributions to AMSSM, Dr. Carlson was instrumental in the development and passage of the Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act. He helped write the bill that was originally introduced to Congress in December 2013. After seven years of work gaining support for it, the Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act was signed into law Oct. 5, 2018 by President Donald Trump.

A years-long effort, the bill represents a bipartisan solution that protects team physicians, athletic trainers and other sports medicine professionals when they travel across state lines with their teams to treat the athletes under their care.

“Chad Carlson has been instrumental in developing, nurturing and driving forward the political agenda of AMSSM,” said AMSSM Past President Kimberly Harmon, MD. “His knowledge of the functioning of government has been critical.

“Chad’s drive, dedication and service to AMSSM is unsurpassed.”

Dr. Carlson works at Stadia Sports Medicine in West Des Moines, Iowa and has assisted AMSSM in various capacities since joining in 1997. Over the past 20 years, he has presented at various meetings, have served on the Public Relations, Economics, Program and Ultrasound Committees, Quality Measure Subcommittee, has coordinated multiple pre-conferences, assisted with ICLs and served on various task forces.

As the Incoming President, Dr. Carlson has served on the Executive Committee the past two years and has played a vital role in developing AMSSM’s new branding and marketing campaign, along with a multitude of projects that will shape the organization well into the future. He also possesses a commitment to Christian outreach and mission work, as evidenced by his travels to Iten, Kenya to help initiate the development of a sports medicine program for disadvantaged athletes.

“He is humble and serves internationally in underserved areas of care. He is not about himself,” said AMSSM Past President Katheric Dec, MD. “He is about what is better for the organization, the career of sports medicine and the growth of our physician role in the world of health and wellness. He mentors others and gives his time, expertise and heart to the work of AMSSM.

“This truly demonstrates the AMSSM Founders’ vision for growth and adapting but always staying true to the value of health, safety and care in the active person.”

About the AMSSM Annual Meeting: The 2019 AMSSM Annual Meeting brings more than 2,000 sports medicine physicians together from throughout the United States and around the world. The meeting theme is, “Small Steps and Giant Leaps in Sports Medicine,” and explores the great accomplishments, evolving technology and the accumulation of new knowledge in the field of sports medicine.

About the AMSSM: AMSSM is a multi-disciplinary organization of more than 3,800 sports medicine physicians dedicated to education, research, advocacy and the care of athletes of all ages. The majority of AMSSM members are primary care physicians with fellowship training and added qualification in sports medicine who then combine their practice of sports medicine with their primary specialty. AMSSM includes members who specialize solely in non-surgical sports medicine and serve as team physicians at the youth level, NCAA, NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA, MLS and NHL, as well as with Olympic and Paralympic teams. By nature of their training and experience, sports medicine physicians are ideally suited to provide comprehensive medical care for athletes, sports teams or active individuals who are simply looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle. www.amssm.org