Stevens Institute of Technology Athletics

Mission Statement
The Stevens Institute of Technology Office of Sports Medicine is committed to providing comprehensive, high-quality medical services to every varsity student-athlete. On-site medical services provided include, but are not limited to, prevention, evaluation and treatment of injuries and illnesses, rehabilitation services, pre-participation exams, nutritional counseling, psychological counseling and drug education/counseling. The sports medicine team is comprised of two team physicians, and five licensed, certified athletic trainers, and medical consultants. This professional staff is responsible for the healthcare and safety of over 500 student-athletes participating in 25 Division III sports in the Middle Atlantic Conference, the MAC Freedom, the Eastern Women's Fencing Conference and the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Fencing Association.

Varsity Sport Assignment
Each athletic trainer is responsible for providing daily on-site and/or off-site practice and event coverage. It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to report all medical issues to their primary athletic trainer when possible, although athletes may be seen by any member of the staff.

Up-to-date sports assignments can be found in the athletic department's staff directory.

Please review the weekly schedule to better understand which athletic trainer is covering your particular practice and what times they are available. The athletic trainers will be covering all home events for their particular sport unless otherwise posted.

***Please note - If you are an Athletic Trainer from a visiting school and do not see the sport(s) you are contacting us about listed, please reach out to Briana Wright directly*** 

Services
The Stevens sports medicine staff provides care to the Institute's varsity student-athletes, including injuries, illnesses, rehabilitation and/or other personal issues affecting one's physical or mental status. In order to provide such comprehensive medical care, the sports medicine department maintains a board certified and specialty-trained team physicians. The team physicians will have a comprehensive referral source of other specialty-trained physicians, including orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, psychiatrists, cardiologists, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, podiatrists and mental health personnel. Please see our weekly office hours schedule for physician schedules.

Conduct
The athletic trainer at Stevens Institute of Technology is licensed by the State of New Jersey and therefore is regulated under the rules and regulations of the N.J.S.A 45:9-37.35. The athletics trainer shall work "at the direction of a licensed physician."

Insurance Coverage
1. Stevens Institute of Technology ("Stevens") requires all full-time^[1] Stevens' students to have health insurance coverage.
    a. Stevens has selected University Health Plans (UHP) to provide a student health insurance plan for its students for the 2023-24 academic year. Students are automatically charged for this plan unless proof of comparable insurance coverage is furnished.
    b. Students who can prove that they have comparable insurance coverage are eligible to waive the student plan.
    c. The instructions for enrolling in or waiving the Stevens student health insurance plan are available here . The deadline for waivers and open enrollment for the 2024-25 academic year is August 31, 2024 for undergraduate students.
    d. Student-Athletes are strongly encouraged to enroll in the Stevens student health insurance option offered by University Health Plans. The Stevens health insurance plan gives students significant access to physicians and emergency health care in the Hoboken, N.J. area. The plan has a reasonable annual premium and has been improved to include increased  maximums on a wide array of benefits and decreased out-of-pocket expenses. Should a student-athlete decide to waive the Stevens plan, they are advised to check with their private insurance company to ensure that they will have access to local hospitals and specialists while in Hoboken.

2. Primary coverage for injuries or illnesses sustained by a student-athlete is through the student-athlete's family/private insurance plan or through the Stevens health insurance plan if the student enrolls in the Stevens' plan.

3. The Stevens' Athletics Department provides excess athletic accident coverage for eligible NCAA varsity student-athletes who are injured during regularly-scheduled sponsored athletic practices, training or workout sessions, competitions, exhibition games, tryouts, team meetings, or other covered sports activity. All coverage terms, limitations and  exclusions are defined by the terms of the insurance policy between Stevens and its insurer. The current policy has a deductible of $2,000 for each covered loss. The "deductible" means the amount of covered expenses that must be paid before benefits will become payable under this policy. Under the current policy, the deducible will be reduced by the amount of medical expenses paid or payable under another health insurance plan. Any expenses not covered by the student-athlete's primary insurance plan will be the responsibility of the student-athlete, up to $2,000. This excess policy requires that medical expenses be incurred within a specified number of days of the covered accident for coverage to apply. For more information on the excess athletic accident policy, please contact the Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine and Student-Athlete Wellness..

4. The NCAA has a Catastrophic Injury Insurance Program that covers a student-athlete who is catastrophically injured while participating in a covered intercollegiate athletic activity. The program is activated after a student-athlete's medical bills exceed $90,000. For more information, please click here.

5. The NCAA does not permit a college or university to provide insurance coverage or pay medical expenses for injuries or illnesses that are not a direct result of covered sponsored athletic activities such as practices, competitions, or conditioning sessions.

6. Student-Athlete is responsible for any payment which is not covered by his/her own insurance policy or the Stevens excess athletic accident policy.
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^{[1] A full-time undergraduate student is a student taking twelve (12) credits.}

Notice of Privacy Act
Student-Athlete's health information is protected by federal regulations, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and may not be disclosed without authorization.

Visiting Team Information
The team physicians are not present but are on-call for all athletic events. In addition, the following sports medicine services will be provided:
    1. Use of our facilities for taping and treatments
    2. A certified athletic trainer will be provided for all on-campus events
    3. On-site EMS services for selected athletic competitions

The following supplies will be provided at home events:
    1. Water
    2. Ice and ice bags
    3. Emergency equipment (crutches, splints and AED)

The Office of Sports Medicine will be open two hours prior to the start of an event. Water and supplies will be set up one hour prior to the start time. If you need access to the sports medicine office earlier, please contact the sports medicine staff prior to the day of event and arrangements can be made. Locker rooms are typically accessible at least two hours prior to scheduled start time for events.

Teams traveling without a certified athletic trainer are asked to:
    1. Notify the sports medicine staff in advance
    2. Provide a properly stocked medical kit
    3. Include a letter (or email) with all names of athletes requiring treatment as detailed as possible (parameters of any modality treatments)

Area Medical Services & Emergency Contacts
Stevens Institute of Technology has a number of area medical professionals which we utilize for our student-athletes; some of these include:
    Sports Medicine Office: Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine and Student-Athlete Wellness, Briana Wright (Office Phone - (201) 216-5695)
    Head Team Orthopedic Surgeon - Dr. Oscar Vazquez
    Primary Care Team Physician: Dr. Melissa Mascaro
     Student Health Center (Office Phone - (201) 216-5678)
    Local Hospital: Hoboken University Medical Center
    Trauma Center: Hackensack University Medical Center
    Physical Therapy: Ivy Rehab

Sports Medicine Office Conduct
    1. Everyone must sign in before receiving treatment.
    2. Proper attire by all is expected since it is a coed facility
    3. Food is not permitted
    4. Personal bags/equipment is to be kept outside the sports medicine office
    5. All rehabilitation is to be scheduled in advance if possible
    6. Injuries sustained during practice must be reported right away, for away events by noon the next day
    7. Foul language or inappropriate behavior or conversation will not be tolerated and may be cause for dismissal from sports medicine office at the staff discretion
    8. All athletes must be clean and showered after practice/games prior to receiving treatments
    9. Any athlete requiring treatment in the sports medicine office must be supervised by a certified athletic trainer, not a coach or other staff member
    10. Water and supplies must be returned to the sports medicine office in a timely manner following practices and put away in the appropriate area

Evaluation and treatment of varsity athletic injuries are available during office hours; however, busy conditions may require in season athletes to have priority.

At no time are water coolers or ice chests to be taken from the sports medicine office for any reason without prior consent from the head athletic trainer.

Medical Kits
All in-season varsity sports are assigned a medical kit for the season. It is fully stocked by our staff prior to the season with all necessary first aid supplies.
Any athlete requiring special medications (inhaler, Epi-pen, etc.) must carry this with them for all away events. In addition, one must also be provided for the sports medicine staff to keep in the office.

Important Links:
Student-Athlete Resources
Stevens Athletics Physical Form
NCAA Concussion Fact Sheet
NCAA Sickle Cell Trait Fact Sheet
NCAA Sickle Cell Trait Video
NCAA ADD/ADHD Reporting Form
NCAA Banned Drug List
Mental Health Emergency