Anti-Doping Education for the Health Professional
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) are working in collaboration to provide comprehensive anti-doping education to all health and medical professionals who will attend the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games in Toronto this summer. This educational tutorial, called HealthPro Advantage™, is required education for health and medical professionals who are a part of Team USA. In order to ensure that all athlete support personnel are prepared to provide the best support and service to athletes, Team USA health and medical professionals must complete the tutorial before they obtain their credentials to attend the Games, as part of the USOC National Anti-Doping Policy.
HealthPro Advantage is a 90-minute, interactive tutorial with topics including: Roles and Responsibilities of the Health Professional, the Prohibited List, Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs), Dietary Supplements, the Sample Collection Process, and Major Games Specific Anti-Doping Information.
Over 75 health and medical professionals are currently scheduled to take HealthPro Advantage. These health and medical professionals include team physicians, athletic trainers, physiotherapists, massage therapists, and other health-related support staff for athletes. The course went live last week on USADA’s website and will remain open for completion through the start of the Games. Upon completion of the course, participants will receive a certificate of completion via email (at the same email addressed used for the username).
Advancements in technology have made it possible for USADA to provide this service to USOC health and medical professionals, and the USOC policy helps aid the partnership by holding the athlete entourage accountable for clean sport. USADA has a great working relationship with the USOC Sports Medicine department and looks forward to expanding on this effort in the future. Health and medical professionals will be required to complete this course, or a similar one, prior to obtaining their credentials as a part of Team USA for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio.