Governor Kate Brown signed Senate Bill 1547 that in part inserts Oregon chiropractic physicians into the list of qualified health professionals who can assess a concussed student athlete and provide a release for that athlete to begin the current evidence-based protocols for return to play and academics.
Chiropractic sports physicians typically complete hundreds of hours of post-doctorate continued educational training in sports injury during their professional careers with the great majority becoming board certified and/or achieving a master’s degree in sports medicine. Those board certifications and advance degree program are, “Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP), “Diplomate American Board of Chiropractic Sports Physicians (DABCSP) and Master’s Degree in Sports Medicine. The University of Western States in NE Portland who offers the four-year doctor of chiropractic degree program also offers a master’s degree in sports medicine.
Senate Bill 1547 also adds naturopathic physicians, physical therapists and occupational therapists to the list of qualified health professionals that can assess a concussed student athlete. However, this new law requires Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) to produce a concussion return-to-play and learning course qualified health professionals must successfully complete and does not become operative until July 1, 2020. OHSU’s course will be updated every four years in coordination with the “International Consensus Meeting on Concussion in Sports” held every four years. Those qualified health professionals who have successfully completed the course will self-identify to school districts with a certificate of completion.
