Episode 04: Sports Medicine is For More Than Just Athletes w/ Dr. Tricia Beatty
Dr. Mike Quintans talks to Dr. Tricia Beatty of Beatty Harris Sports Medicine.
04:07 - Dr. Tricia Beatty dives into her past education at Syracuse University and Ursinus College. From there, Dr. Beatty went to Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) for her Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine (DO). While she was at PCOM, Dr. Beatty accepted a scholarship from the US Navy and spent her first post-grad year with the organization at Port Smith Medical Center.
05:54 - Dr. Tricia Beatty describes her first job as a flight surgeon in the Navy. She was the primary care physician for a squadron. You learn the pathophysiology of aerospace medicine, rules and regulations of pilots, and how to fly!
06:50 - Learning how to fly gave Dr. Tricia Beatty a better understanding of what her pilots were going through when they’re pulling G forces and doing maneuvers.
09:25 - From there, Dr. Beatty returned back to Philadelphia and started as a PGY-2 in Family Medicine. Orthopedics always interested Dr. Beatty and went right into a fellowship for Sports Medicine after her Family Medicine experience.
11:30 - Dr. Beatty’s fellowship was at Crozer Hospital where she was able to take care of the Philadelphia Union, a couple of high schools, and University of Delaware.
14:50 - Long ago there was some strong opinions on DO vs. MD degrees. The way Dr. Beatty looks at it is getting an allopathic education (MD) vs. an osteopathic education (DO) is very similar. They both learn all the pharmacokinetics, the physiology, the pathology, etc. There is more hands-on osteopathic manipulative medical education that DO students receive that MD students don’t. There are probably also some philosophical differences but for the most part, both are very holistic.
18:30 - Dr. Beatty grew up as a gymnast through high school. Also in high school, she was a diver and runner (sprinter, hurdler, high jump, long jump). She notes the character development for an individual from sports is irreplaceable. Her goal is to allow her patients to participate in activities that make them feel good and make them better.
20:50: Dr. Tricia Beatty, who treats sports concussions, answers the question, “Would you ever let your son play football?” She said that you have to balance the potential for bad with the known elements of good, but yes, she would let her son play football. The social, emotional, and physical elements of being part of a team challenge you and help your decision making later in life. help you However, if you had a child that had more than 2 or 3 concussions, it might be time to look at other sport options.
22:00 - What is sports medicine? It’s not just for athletes or sports. Any one with a body that moves is who they treat. Her main goal is to keep the body moving in a non surgical way. There are conditions that are surgical, but so many issues of the human form can be non-surgical. She refers to a good PT, fracture care, chronic tendinopathy, cortisone injections, PRP for joint issues and chronic tendinopathy, hyaluronic acid injections for arthritic joints, amniotic injections for soft tissue and joint problems, etc. An accurate diagnosis is where Sports Medicine docs have true value in addition to performing treatments.
24:40 - Mike describes sports medicine as guiding an individual in a continuum of care depending on their injury.
30:00 - PTs are good at strengthening the body and fixing many issues but in some tendinopathies, something is structurally wrong with the tendon. That’s when Dr. Beatty comes in with her treatments to compliment PT.
32:00 - Dr. Beatty talks about being a female in a male-driven field.
Contact Dr. Tricia Beatty:
610.601.9177