NY Liberty - Team Physician - Susan Craig Scott


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When an athlete gets injured during a game, he or she needs to be treated properly and a determination must be made as to when the athlete can return to action. Sometimes the player is back on the basketball court within minutes and other times they are out for weeks or months. Each team has their own physician, a medical doctor known as the Team Physician who, like your family doctor, is responsible for keeping the team members healthy, assessing injuries and taking care of all illnesses and health problems for the team.

The Team Physician addresses the health issues of his or her patients year round, watching the games to see when injuries occur and determining how to treat them. He or she works with the athletic trainer to make sure that all medication, treatment and rehabilitation is applied or carried out as prescribed.

Dr. Susan Craig-Scott, New York Liberty Team Physician, joined the team when the WNBA first started. Her husband, Dr. Norman Scott, is the Team Physician for the New York Knicks and being a big sports fan, she too wanted to be involved with professional sports. A plastic surgeon and hand specialist, Dr. Craig-Scott has an ongoing practice that continues throughout the season and the off-season. She has developed expertise in topics relating to orthopedic surgery and prevention of injury, both of which she lectures on around the country. These two key areas of medicine also made her particularly qualified for the position of Team Physician.

On game day, Dr. Craig-Scott arrives more than an hour prior to tip-off and examines and evaluates all ongoing injuries. During the game, besides watching the action closely, she is called upon to assess injuries that take place. After the game, she stays to evaluate new injuries and consults with her athletic trainer on treatment protocols.

Dr. Craig-Scott recommends that anyone who wants to pursue such a career should stay focused. "Don't let the length of time it takes to become a doctor discourage you. The time will go by anyway, so why not spend it doing something you love, something that will be rewarding." She enjoys the rewards of her long hours of work, saying "I love seeing the players, their joys, their skills, their enthusiasm. The hardest part about the job is that the (WNBA) season is so short? when a player gets injured there isn't enough time to recover."

If you are thinking of a medical career and love sports, becoming a Team Physician is an ideal way of combining the best of both worlds.