Additionally, this father of two young children is one of the first people to get a call if a Cirque du Soleil performer gets injured.
Dr. Rosenberg’s answers to some recently posed questions shed light on the background and responsibilities of the man who cares both for Jane Doe and John Q. Public as well some of the finest athletes and elite performers in the world.
Can you tell us a little about your childhood?
I grew up with three younger brothers. We were all in sports from a young age. My brothers and I were always playing outside. Our family also had tickets to University of Nebraska football games. We would regularly make the two hour drive to Lincoln for Nebraska’s home games in the fall.
Where did you go to school?
My undergraduate studies were done at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I went to medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. I completed a Family Medicine Residency in Des Moines, Iowa at the Iowa Lutheran Family Medicine Residency Program. I completed a Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
When did you begin work at UNLV?
October 1, 2013.
(Prior to that, he worked as a team physician at Ohio University and in private practice in North Carolina.)
What are some of your responsibilities as head team physician for UNLV?
I see student-athletes for preparticipation physicals, general medical concerns, and musculoskeletal injuries. I also manage concussions and perform ultrasound-guided injections.
You wear another hat at UNLV as well?
You are also a family man. Juggle much?
Yes. My days are very busy and it can be difficult to find a work-life balance at times. My wife and I are trying to make the games a family event now that our children are getting older. The kids are becoming big Golden Knights and UNLV fans. My son wants to play hockey every night before he goes to bed.
How many days a week are you in the UNLV Family Medicine Clinic?
I am in clinic at UNLV Family Medicine two days a week. The rest of my time is spent seeing student-athletes for UNLV Athletics.
While considering UNLV, did you have any idea that the Las Vegas sports landscape was about to grow exponentially with the addition of the Golden Knights and Raiders?
No, I did not anticipate pro sports coming to Las Vegas this quickly. I have been very fortunate in my timing in coming to Las Vegas four years ago. It is an exciting time for sports medicine in Las Vegas.
Are your former colleagues in other parts of the country jealous that you are working in what has become a “mecca” for sports medicine?
Yes. Many of my colleagues are excited about the opportunities in Las Vegas. I regularly receive emails and text messages from other physicians interested in coming to Las Vegas and working with UNLV Sports Medicine.
What are your hopes and dreams for the UNLV School of Medicine?
I hope that the UNLV School of Medicine helps to improve health care in Las Vegas. I have practiced in other areas of the country and the residents of Las Vegas need better and more timely access to both primary care and specialty care.The UNLV School of Medicine has a tremendous opportunity to make an investment and set up the infrastructure to grow the existing practice plan and provide a higher level of care for the entire Vegas Valley and the surrounding region.
I would like to establish UNLV Sports Medicine as the premier institution for providing healthcare to athletes and active individuals of all ages. There is the potential to create a multidisciplinary Sports medicine center at UNLV that could provide comprehensive care for athletes at all levels of sports. Athletes come to Las Vegas to live, train, and play their sport. We need to provide resources for them at the highest level of care.
