OSU team physician named Big Ten's first chief medical officer

COLUMBUS (WCMH) -- The head team physician for The Ohio State University's athletics department has been named the first-ever chief medical officer of the Big Ten Conference.

According to a release, Dr. James Borchers will oversee the health and safety of student-athletes for all 14 schools that make up the conference.

Dr. Borchers played football at OSU from 1989 to 1993. In his Wexner Medical Center biography, Dr. Borchers said the physicians who cared for him when he was a student-athlete inspired him to pursue a career in medicine.

Dr. Borchers attended medical school at St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada, as well as Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Rootstown, Ohio. He received his board certification specializing in sports medicine in 2004 and currently treats patients at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

“This will be a tremendous opportunity to collaborate with the talented medical professionals within the conference and across all levels of college and professional sports as we continue to provide a best-in-class environment of health, safety and wellness for our nearly 10,000 student-athletes,” Dr. Borchers said.