University of Arkansas announces new sports medicine provider

Little Rock-based University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is the new orthopedic and sports medicine provider for the University of Arkansas athletics department. The Razorbacks and UAMS each issued a news release Thursday (March 4).

The four-year contract started Jan. 1, 2021.

“As part of our continued commitment to our student-athletes, we have partnered with UAMS to provide sports medicine trained care for our entire program,” Razorback athletic director Hunter Yurachek said in a statement. “We are extremely fortunate that we can access world-class care for our student-athletes both within our state and within the University of Arkansas system. I am appreciative of the commitment of UAMS Orthopaedics Chair Dr. Lowry Barnes and the entire UAMS team in helping us maintain the health and wellbeing of our student-athletes.”

The agreement with UAMS ends the UA’s longtime partnership with the previous contract holder. Advanced Orthopaedic Specialists (AOS) of Fayetteville had provided medical care for Razorback athletes since 2009.

UAMS has two orthopedic and sports medicine clinics in Northwest Arkansas (Lowell and Fayetteville) to treat both athletes and community patients.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Arkansas Razorbacks Athletics Department to offer student-athletes the best possible care available to them,” UAMS Chancellor Dr.Cam Patterson said. “This is another testament to UAMS’ ongoing commitment to serving the entire Northwest Arkansas community. Our presence on the University campus with on-site physicians, a MRI machine, student-athlete sports medicine clinics and access to additional athletic trainers is a step towards our off-campus plans to build a nearby state-of-the-art Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine facility so we can expand our reach to patients in this area.”

Drs. Ramon Ylanan Dr. Larry Balle are the primary care physicians as part of the UAMS partnership. Drs. Shea Brennan, Tyler CarlLee, Wes Cox, Navin Kilambi, Rob Martin, Chad Songy and sports medicine fellow Dr. Ryan Sorrell will also be part of the medical team. Physician assistant Valerie Whitson will serve Razorback student-athletes in the on-campus clinic. They will coordinate with the UA’s sports medicine staff on a daily basis.

UAMS is the state’s only academic medical campus. It has a satellite campus in Fayetteville.

The UA has roughly 460 athletes in 19 intercollegiate sports.