When an athlete is injured during a game, time stops — and not just on the clock. Dr. Austin Cole, orthopedic surgeon at Conway Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center, said he understands the frustration that comes with wondering whether an injury will take a player out of the game or even an entire season. His goal is to get athletes of all sorts back to their chosen activities as soon as possible.
“A lot of our training — and my training, especially — is even if it is something serious, how do we get you back quickly and efficiently, even trying to do same season and to the same level of play?” he said.
Cole said two factors contributed to his interest in sports medicine: his time on the Wampus Cats football team at Conway High School and his pedigree as a fifth-generation physician. The mentorship of fellow COSMC orthopedic surgeon Dr. Thomas Roberts further solidified Cole’s desire to go into the field.
After graduating from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and earning his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Cole headed to South Carolina for an orthopedic residency at Prisma Health. There, he gained hands-on experience at The Steadman Clinic and by helping care for athletes at Clemson University.
He went on to complete a fellowship in sports medicine at the University of Kansas Health System, which gave him the opportunity to work with the Kansas City Chiefs during their recent Super Bowl seasons, as well as the Kansas City Royals and the University of Kansas athletics program.
After completing his fellowship, he returned to Conway to practice at COSMC.
“Coming back home was rewarding in the fact of knowing many people in this area and giving back to the community I grew up in, so it’s more meaningful than many other places I had looked at,” he said.
Beyond just lending his skills to the community that raised him, he said he was excited to join COSMC because of the investments the health system continues to make in its sports medicine program.
“I think all of us at this orthopedic clinic, as well as in the hospital, pride ourselves on trying to offer the most up-to-date things,” he said. “What has allowed us to do that is mainly Conway Regional being willing to make a substantial investment, whether it be the equipment or the extra training we want or hiring extra personnel to make that possible.”
He praised the sports medicine clinic’s multidisciplinary approach in which representatives from various fields of medicine come together to improve access to care and the efficiency of treatments for athletes.
Athletic trainers and physicians from COSMC have close relationships with local schools, colleges and universities, helping bring on-site medical treatment to athletes, providing sideline care during sports events, and teaching students and coaches about staying healthy, he added.
“The big thing is getting them care quickly,” he said. “I am proud of the partnerships we have with area schools so we can get injured athletes in as soon as we can, rather than somebody typically having to call a clinic, and they may tell them, ‘We’re booked out three or four weeks.’”
His is a constantly evolving field, he said, and he has seen incredible advancements that include an antigravity treadmill for rehabilitation, laser therapy and biologics to promote healing, enhanced 3D imaging, and advanced surgical techniques.
He said he plans to stay at COSMC for the long term and hopes to see the clinic grow its staff and community partnerships. He added that he enjoys having a positive impact on the health of his patients, whether they are student-athletes or adults with active hobbies.
“My ultimate goal is to really build a practice where I’m managing mainly the active individual, whether it’s somebody in high school or college or somebody that’s just out and enjoys activities to keep them active and fit,” he said. “That’s what provides me, I think, a lot of joy in my practice is being able to assist in getting them back to doing the things that they want to do.”
Photo provided by Conway Regional Health System
