Division of Performing Arts Medicine receives grant from Rea Charita

[Link]The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine's Division of Performing Arts has received a grant of $40,000 from the Rea Charitable Trust to continue to grow the world's only Performing Arts Medicine Fellowship program. It is the third straight year the Rea Charitable Trust has generously donated to the fellowship program, the only one in the world that trains physicians to address the specific needs of performing artists.

This invaluable grant has successfully facilitated the training of the past two fellows, Dr. Stephen Fung and Dr. Francis DeAsis. With this latest funding, they will be able to welcome a fourth fellow to The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth.

"We are extremely grateful to receive this grant for the third time," said Yein Lee, DO, MMS, FAAPMR and the Performing Arts Medicine division co-chair. "With this support, we will continue to grow our fellowship by welcoming our fourth fellow. Additionally, we will be able to expand our mission to increase access to medical care for performing artists in the Dallas-Fort Worth region and address the health and wellness issues faced by these artists."

[Link]Dr. Surve

With HSC Health serving as a vital partner in logistics and clinical operations, the division has been able to expand clinical services to provide more care and attention for performer injuries that otherwise would have gone unnoticed and untreated. While maintaining existing dance injury prevention clinics at the Texas Ballet Theatre and Texas Christian University, the clinical services expanded with two mobile clinics at the University of North Texas and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The grant specifically funds a weekly free Performing Arts Medicine clinic offered every Monday afternoon at HSC Health.

[Link]Dr. Lee

"The biggest impact of this incredible grant is the expansion of medical care for a special population that often does not have access to clinicians who understand them," Lee said. "Average Americans do not know that up to the majority of artists in any given performing arts organization perform injured. While performing artists should be considered athletes, they lack the medical support team that most professional athletics organizations have. With the grant, we can start creating similar support for performing artists while training future physicians on how to take care of this special population."

While also expanding services, the fellowship curriculum has been cultivated into one of the most unique educational experiences for the fellows. They have had the opportunities to work with not only physicians but physical therapists, occupational therapists, audiologists and mental health professionals who work with performing artists in their practice.

It doesn't end there for the fellows, recently Dr. Fung, completed his research and presented his results at an International Symposium, while also teaching exercises to many music students at TCU and the University of North Texas.

Dr. DeAsis provided health and wellness talks to the UNT strings summer festival, and education sessions for physical therapy groups that are also interested in expanding their services to performing artists. The fellows also work closely with music and dance faculty at UNT, TCU, and Weatherford College.

"The Rea Charitable Trust grant combined with HSC Health's support and TCOM's GME backing from Dr. Nash, Dr. Surve as well as the amazing Aurea Baez-Martinez make TCOM 's Performing Arts Medicine program possible," Lee said. "It is a true team effort, and we are grateful for this team."

Patients can schedule an appointment in Performing Arts Medicine by calling 817-735-2455.

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