Chargers Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative Rep Reflects on Experience

Chargers NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative representative Michael Baham had a few words to describe what the last month had been like for him.

“It’s been amazing,” Baham said. “Once in the lifetime.”

In the third year of the program, the Bolts got to offer Baham a one of a kind experience.

Baham, a student at the UC Irvine School of Medicine with a specialty of Sports Medicine, had the opportunity to shadow and spend time with Director of Player Health, Wellness & Performance Marco Zucconi and the Bolts medical staff over the last month during training camp.

Baham got a firsthand look at the day-to-day medical duties required on an NFL team.

“To be able to work alongside the team doctors, athletic trainers and just seeing how they’re caring for these athletes has been amazing,” Baham said. “Not many medical students can come into an NFL organization and view the care that these professional players are receiving.

“To be able to learn from the team docs, athletic trainers, nutritionists, everyone, I think has provided me a holistic perspective of not only care in the NFL, but medicine in general,” Baham continued. “It’s been amazing.”

He later added: “I was trying to come in and just be a sponge, learn as much as I could. I’d say if anything, it exceeded my expectations just being able to learn from all of these individuals and just be here.”