Gary W. Dorshimer MD, FACP, FCPP, CAQSM

Dr. Dorshimer received his Bachelor's degree from Muhlenberg College and attended medical school at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. While in medical school he was drawn to internal medicine because he liked the problem-solving aspect of the field. After completing his residency at Pennsylvania Hospital, where he was chief resident during his third year of residency, two of his mentors. Dr. Dorshimer was excited at the chance to be involved in this type of medical practice. Since Dr. Viner's appointment as the team physician for the Philadelphia Orchestra required him to travel extensively, Dr. Dorshimer was given the task of covering the Flyer's playoff games at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Dr. Dorshimer is in his 29th year as the team physician for the Philadelphia Flyers and has finished his 15th season as the team physician for the Philadelphia Eagles. As the Eagles' primary care physician, Dr. Dorshimer attends every football game, both home and away, whereas, for the Philadelphia Flyers, he attends the regular season home games as well as home and away games during the playoffs. Although he treats a variety of injuries and illnesses for players of both teams, concussions are one of the most common injuries that he sees. "People are surprised to learn that it's the internists and primary care physicians, not neurologists, that treat the players' concussions." Dr. Dorshimer is also responsible for treating the entire greater Philadelphia Eagles' and Flyers' families, which includes all staff, coaches, and players. "I think it's a really great experience to provide primary care for both of my home teams.

Although Dr. Dorshimer did not complete a sports medicine fellowship, he completed his certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine through the American Board of Internal Medicine in 1995. Currently, he is the Assistant Program Director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. As Assistant Program Director, he is in charge of recruiting fellows for the Sports Medicine Fellowship as well as teaching the fellows at least a half-day per week. "Teaching the fellows is a fun part of the job. He gets to expose them to a professional sports medicine experience with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Flyers. But as an internist, He wants to get them to think and understand the thinking process of how quickly you deduce something really specific from a lot of general medical knowledge, especially in the field of sports medicine. Dr. Dorshimer teaches the fellows how to work with a team's athletic trainer and how important that partnership is. "One of the things that we teach the fellows right from the start is how you and the athletic trainer take care of a team, how you talk to an athlete, and different issues that you have to consider in their diagnosis and rehab that you wouldn't have to consider with other patients."