Every woman in medicine can relate to being in a role once thought of as only for and occupied by men. In motorsports, females are few and far between, but that is changing every day as more women get involved in the field. Overall, women account for about 4% of racing drivers, but they also represent other areas within the field of motorsports–team principals, engineers, pit crew members, and safety and medical staff (1).
Motorsports is one of the highest watched spectator sports in the world, with significant growing popularity in recent years; yet its safety infrastructure has lagged behind other sports in development. The medical team behind motorsports is often a behind-the-scenes but integral part of the sport. Motorsports is inherently incredibly dangerous with unique injury patterns due to the complexity of crash events. There have been a significant number of large injuries and fatalities within the sport, demonstrating a need for dedicated study to the care of these athletes. Common injuries include heat-related injuries, head injuries, burns, fractures, lacerations, and spinal injuries.
Motorsports medicine includes training from other fields such as EMS and sports medicine but also requires a unique knowledge base and skill set not yet covered by any other type of medical training. The medicine behind motorsports starts far before the race does and keeps going long after the checkered flag has waved. Coordination of medical response includes looking at local resources and hospitals far prior to race day as well as creating protocols for the mass gathering events.
Drivers and teams train heavily for races, and part of that is their health and fitness training. Physicians, athletic trainers, physical therapists, and dieticians will often be part of the team trying to optimize the athletes’ performance. Drivers also undergo physical exams, depending on the series, prior to racing to obtain a baseline and to make the care team aware of any existing conditions. These exams include an extensive neurologic and vision exam that can be utilized to compare after a driver is in an incident when evaluating for traumatic brain injury. For infield care centers, they must be prepared to take care not only of drivers and team members, but also for spectators.
On-track response also sometimes begins prior to the race, as incidents also occur during practice and qualifying. Physicians and other EMS providers who respond are highly trained with motorsports safety-specific training and practice prior to events with simulation to be ready for anything that may occur. Directing an incident on track with multiple drivers at different injury levels can be similar to directing a full resuscitation bay–it takes prioritization, clear communication, and the work of a well-oiled team. Medical cars carry fire extinguishers, immobilizations devices, specialized extrication tools, and all necessary medical equipment. After an incident, drivers are taken to the infield care center for evaluation and sometimes transferred to the nearest healthcare facility, but the care doesn’t stop there. Analysis of high velocity crash injuries takes place in order to identify measures to further improve safety in the sport.
The fast-paced field of Motorsports Medicine is young and fresh, which makes it an amazing opportunity for career development and innovation. The Motorsports Medicine Fellowship at IU Health is the first of its kind and focuses on this specialized training. Of the six Motorsports Medicine fellows since its inception, four of them have been women. The fellowship leadership team also consists heavily of female influence, including Dr. Julia Vaizer (the very first Motorsports Medicine fellow and Indycar’s first female medical director), Dr. Melissa McCarthy (AMR Indycar Safety Consultant and AMR Nascar physician), and Dr. Angela Fiege (AMR Nascar safety team’s first female medical director and current Indynxt medical director). Though motorsports may be a historically male field, I see a lot of women in the driver’s seat on the medical side.