Editor’s note: This profile was written prior to Damar Hamlin’s on-field medical emergency during the Buffalo Bills game on Jan. 2, so it does not reference that incident. Many emergency physicians are important parts of the emergency planning, onsite emergency medical care and prehospital/EMS care for large-scale events, including professional sports. For ACEP members interested in learning more about these roles, connect with ACEP’s Event Medicine, Sports Medicine and EMS/Prehospital Care sections.

Ronald Roth, MD, FACEP, has never thought of himself as an athlete. He is, however, an integral part of the Pittsburgh sports scene in his role as team physician for the National Football League’s Pittsburgh Steelers.

Over more than two decades with the team, Dr. Roth has seen it all. He could be assessing neck or head injuries, or various fractures. Other days he may be called to treat a collapsed lung or manage an athlete with hyperthermia. He also steers the organization’s emergency action planning and oversees the rapid response for anyone who experiences a medical emergency at the stadium, practice facility, or training camp.

He credits his extensive EMS background for preparing him for the job. “This job is made for EMS. It’s unpredictable, and we bring so many skills to the table,” he said.

Dr. Roth concurrently serves as the medical director for the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety, which includes police, fire responders, and EMS. His extensive knowledge and deep relationships are essential to smooth on-field operations, as the paramedics who may be caring for an injured player are part of his service.

“I’m an EMS physician. It doesn’t faze me to treat a cardiac arrest outside rather than in an emergency department. I use my emergency medical training, just not on an ambulance,” Dr. Roth said. “It’s a lot of fun to take what you know and apply it to the football field.”

He was medical director of the Pittsburgh Marathon when the Steelers contacted him about the role. When he was offered the job, he took it without hesitation. “As a diehard Steelers fan, I only thought about it for a millisecond,” he said.

Dr. Roth encourages anyone interested in the intersection of sports and emergency medicine to pursue this line of work. “You’re not a sports medicine doctor, you are an emergency physician, taking care of emergencies on the field. There’s some overlap but we have our own expertise.”

Dr. Roth has fond memories of sitting in the cheap seats to watch games with his father as a child. Now, he is on the sidelines and in the locker room. Some days he feels like a kid again.

“Sometimes I pinch myself,” he said. “Nobody is going to ask me what plays to run, but when I help determine how to treat an injury, I feel like part of the team.”