In the news: Alumnus Joe Congeni, M.D. (’84), retires from Akron Children’s Hospital

NEOMED alumnus Joseph Congeni, M.D. (’84) retired earlier in August from Akron Children’s Hospital, capping a nearly 40-year career in sports medicine.

The pediatric sports medicine department at Akron Children’s was the first in the country when it launched in 1988. Just four years out of NEOMED, Dr. Congeni was the lead physician on the project.

"There were four of us — one trainer, one physical therapist, one secretary and myself — and they gave us a year to try to be successful and work with some of the kids' programs," Congeni shared in a recent interview with the Akron Beacon Journal. "And in a place like Northeast Ohio where sports is important and … where Akron Children's is so well-known and so world-class in its care, we very quickly were busy."

Over the years, Dr. Congeni grew the department to be a multidisciplinary team of physicians, physical therapists, a sports psychologist and a nutritionist. He also been involved research into concussions and establishing protocols for dealing with them.

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Doctor to champions: Joe Congeni caps long run as pioneer in pediatric sports medicine