Augustus Thorndike
Encyclopedia
Augustus Thorndike was the chief of surgery at Harvard University
from 1931 to 1962 and a pioneer in sports medicine
.
Thorndike served in World War I
and was a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Medical School
. He pioneered many advancements in sports medicine, including the rules that a doctor must be present at every sports event and that a doctor must decide if an injured athlete should play. He also designed advanced equipment for football players and was the first to insist that hockey players wear helmets.
Dr. Thorndike began working at the Massachusetts General Hospital
in 1921 as a general surgeon before also offering his medical services to the Harvard University Athletic Department in 1926. It was based upon his experiences working with athletes during this time period that he determined there to be a specific need to improve medical care for athletes and later that specialisation in the field was necessary.
One of the principle reasons for which Dr. Thorndike is regarded as a "pioneer" in the industry was his insistence that only a physician
was qualified to determine whether an athlete was healthy enough to compete or play their sport and that this decision should not be left to coaches.
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
from 1931 to 1962 and a pioneer in sports medicine
Sports medicine
Sports medicine is a branch of medicine that deals with physical fitness, treatment and prevention of injuries related to sports and exercise...
.
Thorndike served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and was a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
. He pioneered many advancements in sports medicine, including the rules that a doctor must be present at every sports event and that a doctor must decide if an injured athlete should play. He also designed advanced equipment for football players and was the first to insist that hockey players wear helmets.
Dr. Thorndike began working at the Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
in 1921 as a general surgeon before also offering his medical services to the Harvard University Athletic Department in 1926. It was based upon his experiences working with athletes during this time period that he determined there to be a specific need to improve medical care for athletes and later that specialisation in the field was necessary.
One of the principle reasons for which Dr. Thorndike is regarded as a "pioneer" in the industry was his insistence that only a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
was qualified to determine whether an athlete was healthy enough to compete or play their sport and that this decision should not be left to coaches.