Old Dominion University, Master of Science of Athletic Training

🏃‍♀️☀️🚑 It's Race Day at the Falmouth Road Race!

Today, ODU faculty and our athletic training students are joining healthcare professionals from across the country to help provide medical care and support for thousands of runners taking on one of the most iconic road races in the nation.

The Falmouth Road Race offers an incredible opportunity for our students to learn, collaborate with experienced clinicians, and gain hands-on experience in a setting that has played an important role in advancing our understanding of exertional heat illness recognition and management.

We're excited for a day of learning, service, and supporting participant safety.
📸 Stay tuned to our stories throughout the day for behind-the-scenes photos and updates from the race and medical operations!

🦁💙💛

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ On the road to Falmouth!

Old Dominion University faculty and six second-year athletic training students are heading to the Falmouth Road Race, where they'll join healthcare professionals from across the country in providing medical care and support for thousands of runners.

The Falmouth Road Race is widely recognized for its challenging environmental conditions and has contributed significantly to our understanding of exertional heat stroke recognition, treatment, and outcomes. For our students, this experience offers a unique opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world setting, collaborate with experienced clinicians, and learn from leaders in sports medicine and emergency care.

We're excited to network with colleagues, support participant safety, and contribute to one of the most well-known road race medical operations in the country.

Good luck to everyone participating, volunteering, and providing care—we look forward to an incredible experience!

☀️🏃🚑📚

🔄 Research has the greatest impact when it can be translated into practice.

The READY EAP Project was developed to help bridge the gap between evidence and implementation by providing practical, setting-specific Emergency Action Plan resources for athletic trainers and organizations.

Built upon the recommendations from the 2024 NATA Position Statement, READY EAP offers tools designed to help programs develop, refine, and confidently activate their emergency plans.

Learn more at https://readyeap.com.

🚨 Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility.

One of the most important messages from the 2024 NATA Position Statement is that catastrophic emergencies can occur even when healthcare professionals are not immediately present. That's why coaches, administrators, event personnel, athletic trainers, and community partners all play critical roles in emergency response.
The research also reminds us that simply having a written EAP is not enough—consistent adoption, rehearsal, and implementation are essential to improving outcomes.

📋 Having an Emergency Action Plan is only the first step—implementing and practicing it is what makes it effective.

The 2024 NATA Position Statement emphasizes the importance of:
✅ Annual review and distribution of the EAP
✅ Scenario-based rehearsals across venues
✅ Documentation, debriefing, and continuous improvement
✅ Pre-event medical meetings and readiness checks

When an emergency occurs, preparation allows teams to respond quickly, confidently, and effectively.

🤝 Effective Emergency Action Plans are built through collaboration.
The 2024 NATA Position Statement emphasizes the importance of: 📋 Written, venue-specific Emergency Action Plans 👤 Designated EAP leadership and coordination 🚑 Consideration of local emergency resources and equipment 🏥 Interdisciplinary planning with healthcare professionals, public safety personnel, administrators, and community partners
Emergency preparedness is not a one-time task—it's an ongoing commitment to athlete health and safety.

⏱️ When a catastrophic injury or illness occurs, preparation matters.
The 2024 NATA Position Statement reminds us that the first minutes of an emergency response can significantly influence outcomes. From sudden cardiac arrest and traumatic brain injury to exertional heat stroke, a coordinated response begins long before an emergency happens.
✅ Written plans ✅ Trained responders ✅ Practiced procedures
Emergency Action Plans help ensure everyone knows their role when every second counts.

🚨 Evidence-based emergency preparedness saves lives.
As we revisit the 2024 NATA Position Statement on Emergency Action Plan Development & Implementation in Sport, we're proud to recognize Dr. Samantha Scarneo-Miller, faculty member at Old Dominion University and first author of the statement, for leading this important work alongside a multidisciplinary team of experts.
The position statement provides evidence-based recommendations to support the development, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of Emergency Action Plans across sport settings.
📖 Have you reviewed your organization's EAP recently?

Finish Strong, yall! Last week of Summer classes this week!!!

😎 Tell us you're an athletic training student without telling us you're an athletic training student...

We'll go first:
🧊 You have at least one roll of tape in your backpack right now.

Your turn! 👇