Dr. Jeff Dugas - Victory Over Injury Podcast

Andrews Sports Medicine's Victory Over Injury Podcast Series explores the depths and peels back the layers of the often overlooked and largely unknown side of sports medicine: INJURY - digging into recovery and the mindset it takes to achieve victory over injury.

In episode #5 of Victory Over Injury presented by Andrews Sports Medicine, Dr. Michael K. Ryan takes a special deep dive into the life, career and experience of Dr. Jeff Dugas, co-founder and managing partner of Andrews Sports Medicine. Dr. Dugas is a distinguished sports medicine surgeon, specializing in orthopaedic surgery of the knee, shoulder, and elbow. He has operated on all types of athletes at the highest levels of elite, Olympic and professional competition.

Dr. Dugas is the long-time team physician for Troy University Athletics, and numerous local high schools, associate team physician for the Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox AA affiliate), medical director for USA Cheer, associate medical director and surgeon for WWE, serves on the board of trustees for the American Baseball Foundation and American Sports Medicine Institute, and is the fellowship director for the ASMI Orthopaedic Surgery Sports Medicine Fellowship. He is responsible for training sports medicine surgeons of the highest caliber.

Dr. Dugas is the author of more than 75 peer-reviewed publications and numerous book chapters, and has presented countless times at national meetings. His experience on the field, in the operating room and with research fueled his innovative spirit, and Dr. Dugas has pioneered the UCL Repair, an alternative to the Tommy John surgery with more rapid return to play, which now has more than 5 years of great results. Finally, with all of his extra time, Dr. Dugas satiated his entrepreneurial craving by starting a local distillery, crafting fine whiskey liquors and beer under the name Dread River.

Be sure to follow "Victory Over Injury" wherever you listen to podcasts.

A special thank you to our producer, Ed Hill, and our intern, James Harris, UAB School of Medicine (Class of 2023) for helping make this podcast series possible.

Episode Notes

• 00:04:00 – Growing up in New York, North Carolina & Ohio
•  00:07:09 – Playing sports as a youth
•  00:08:13 – Chemical engineering & baseball at NC State
• 00:10:05 – Influences that led to a career in orthopaedic surgery
• 00:13:00 – Sports medicine mentors: Dr. John Feagin, Dr. Russell Warren, Dr. James Andrews & Dr. Bill Clancy 
• 00:15:20 – Orthopaedic leaders: what sets them apart?
• 00:19:36 – Experience with Coach Jim Valvano 
• 00:23:55 – Andrews Sports Medicine fellowship
• 00:27:30 – Early years at Andrews Sports Medicine
• 00:29:30 – HealthSouth (March 18, 2003)
• 00:32:00 – Transition to Andrews Sports Medicine at St. Vincent's Birmingham
• 00:36:38 – COVID-19 pandemic
• 00:41:15 – NCAA eligibility & injury of risk (pandemic)
• 00:52:10 – UCL Repair with internal brace
• 00:55:49 – First UCL patient
• 00:58:50 – Explanation of UCL Repair
• 01:03:24 – First MLB Player, Seth Maniss - Dr. George Paletta
• 01:05:10 – Revision with UCL
• 01:07:00 – UCL injury epidemic
• 01:09:00 – Throwing adaptations
• 01:10:00 – Pitch count rules 
• 01:11:15 – Philosophy of sports medicine surgery
• 01:12:40 – Definition of sports medicine: "shared urgency of the patient"
• 01:17:00 – Advice for throwers
• 01:20:15 – WWE: Dave Batista, The Undertaker, Triple H, Finn Balor
• 01:32:22 – Worst sports injury
• 01:31:40 – Patient expectations
• 01:33:30 – Finding a surgeon
• 01:43:10 – Role as a fellowship director 
• 01:46:00 – Learning from managing fellows
• 01:50:07 – Dread River Distillery
• 02:04:35 – Steps to become a sports medicine surgeon: medical school, residency & fellowship