Being prepared for what can happen
Texas Athletics Pre-Health Organization hosts Dr. Suneet Singh for opening meeting of 2023
Scott Retzlaff, TexasSports.com
2/13/2023
Sports Medicine has understandably been in the national spotlight since Monday Night Football in early January. Demar Hamlin’s cardiac event sent shock waves throughout the sports world. That evening showcased the vital importance of sports medicine care and showed just how quickly the life-saving switch needs to turn on for medical professionals.
There has never been a better time to prepare for what can happen. Those involved with the situation in Cincinnati set a tremendous example. With that recent event in mind, the Texas Athletics Pre-Health Organization (TAPHO) held their first meeting of 2023 to discuss and learn.
TAPHO is a student-led organization that looks to prepare Texas student-athletes who are interested in the healthcare profession. The organization is being pushed to new heights. Sam Shulhan, former organization president, spoke to the continued progress the group has seen.
“This group has built a lot of relationships with the med school and other health profession schools with mentorships, volunteer opportunities, and just learning about the endless opportunities of the healthcare profession,” said Shulhan. “Lanie (Nitsch) took over for me as president of the organization, and it has continued to grow immensely. They’re trying to establish a curriculum so student-athletes get as much as they can out of it. The continued development has been phenomenal.”
Watching this group take an interest, grow the organization, grow the experiences, and watching them actualize their ambitions and dreams is where the reward is. I'm just thankful to be in their presence.Dr. Suneet Singh
Dr. Suneet Singh joined the first meeting of the new year to conduct a presentation entitled, ‘How to Save a Life’. The presentation focused largely on Demar Hamlin’s case with special focus on the response of the various healthcare staffs involved. Those in attendance discussed the different types of cardiac events, CPR and compression techniques, and proper use of AED equipment. Thoughts were shared. Questions were asked and answered. Maybe more importantly, the student-athletes had an opportunity to visit about a truly horrifying incident. Those in attendance were locked in from start to finish, just what current organization president Lanie Nitsch was hoping for.
“It’s a very unique opportunity,” noted Nitsch following the presentation. “There’s not always a lot of day-to-day chances where pre-health students can truly see what it’s going to be like when they start to pursue that career. These types of events are so important in solidifying whether or not you want to go into a field or pivot where you want to go. There are times where it’s very difficult as a student-athlete to balance it all. When I come to events like this, I know that I definitely want to do this.”
Dr. Singh wears multiple hats in regard to assisting Texas student-athletes in this organization. He is a teacher and mentor. He is also a tremendous resource who truly wants to share his passion for helping others. The Emergency Medicine Specialist provided great insight based on his wealth of personal experience. He shared the importance of having more conversations about these types of medical events, noting that there are more victims in these situations than just the sick or injured person. You saw it in Cincinnati. Players, coaches, and fans were impacted. The medical staffs were obviously impacted, as were the family and friends of the injured player. The list goes on and on. It was a wakeup call for so many, including athletes who saw another athlete suffer a major cardiac event in the middle of playing the sport they love.
The doctor also shared his hopes that those in attendance would continue to follow through and fully pursue their dreams in the medical field, and his pride in working with the Texas student-athletes was evident from the opening remarks of his presentation.
“Being involved with the Texas Athletics Pre-Health Organization absolutely has been one of the biggest privileges of my career,” remarked Singh. “To be an Emergency Physician has been fantastic. I thought meeting people of the community and interacting with other healthcare professionals was going to be the peak of my career, but watching this group take an interest, grow the organization, grow the experiences, and watching them actualize their ambitions and dreams is where the reward is. I’m just thankful to be in their presence. I thank Dr. (Shauna) Sobers, Mr. (Aaron) Paterson, and Mr. Del Conte for the opportunity.”
The presentation and topic were perfectly timed. Jake Foster, a senior on the Texas men’s swim and dive team, was watching the Monday Night Football game when Hamlin collapsed. Foster, a native of Cincinnati, followed the events in his hometown closely and was very much looking forward to hearing from Dr. Singh. The presentation more than lived up to his expectations.
“It sparked my interest being from Cincinnati and having that connection to the event,” acknowledged Foster. “This talk was something I was really looking forward to. Being a student-athlete, this really resonated with me that this could happen to anyone no matter what kind of shape you’re in. I really appreciate Dr. Singh giving us his time tonight to introduce us to the kinds of cardiac events athletes can have and what we can do to help if anything like that happens to others in our respective sports.”
Texas does an amazing job giving us a platform and resources to do what we need to do. We have the opportunity to make so many connections thanks to Texas Athletics and with alums of Texas Athletics, as well.Lanie Nitsch, Texas Athletics Pre-Health Organization President & Two-Time National Champion Rower
Part of the presentation also reflected on always being ready. When Demar Hamlin collapsed and the resuscitation efforts began on the football field, it was different, and the rarity of such an event puts into perspective just how impressive it was for the various medical personnel to jump into action and handle the situation as they did. This was not a common occurrence, at least not in sports, but the medical professionals present had the poise and strength to deal with it without hesitation. They acted and saved a life. They were ready to flip the switch, something Dr. Singh spoke at length about to the student-athletes.
“It really is so incredibly important when these student-athletes recognize that they have the ability to turn that switch and go into rescuer mode,” stated Singh. “We already know that they have the aptitude and intelligence. They have the energy and drive with the passion of learning this stuff. They really can be life savers, and it’s contagious. You hear that one person does it, then you have the butterfly effect, and it happens again. I’m hoping things like this will catch fire with the NCAA. I’m hoping things continue to move forward, and I hope that it all starts right here at Texas.”
This presentation was one of many opportunities that will continue in Texas Athletics. From hands-on training and volunteering to networking and mentoring opportunities, groups like the Texas Athletics Pre-Health Organization give Texas student-athletes education and experience to guide them as they pursue their respective careers.
“Texas Athletics does a really good job of setting us up for success in athletics and also in our passions and what our future careers might be,” Foster concluded. “They help us build connections. Tonight alone, we had a great opportunity to interact with a doctor and medical students. It’s very rewarding.”
The goal is clear. Texas wants to prepare its student-athletes for success in sports and in life. It isn’t just TAPHO striving for this goal. 4EVER TEXAS, which is run by Dr. Shauna Sobers and Aaron Paterson, is a comprehensive student-athlete development program designed to work alongside academic support services to prepare UT student-athletes for lifelong success. Its focus is Character, Community, and Career. “TAPHO works hard to weave in practical and meaningful experiences to help our student-athletes grow as leaders, serve the community, and prepare for their future careers,” remarked Paterson. “TAPHO is a perfect example of how our student-athletes excel in and out of competition, it’s remarkable.”
Nitsch, TAPHO President and two-time national champion on the Texas rowing team, understands and maximizes the unique opportunities available at Texas. “Texas does an amazing job giving us a platform and resources to do what we need to do,” added Nitsch. “We have the opportunity to make so many connections thanks to Texas Athletics and with alums of Texas Athletics, as well.”
Before concluding the presentation, Dr. Singh left the students with a few final thoughts. He spoke about having an opportunity in healthcare to leave each patient better than you found them. He spoke to the importance of continuing these discussions and being prepared for whatever might come. When asked what message Dr. Singh would give to those entering the healthcare field, it didn’t take long for the doctor to point to one of his favorite quotes.
“Helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person.”
