Inside the NFL: SCU Sports Medicine Resident Alex Weber on His Week with the Cleveland Browns

A lifelong football fan, Weber reflects on applying his clinical skills inside an NFL training camp and the hands-on experiences that prepared him for the opportunity.

Alex Weber, DC, graduated from SCU and now works at the University as a Sports Medicine resident. He recently spent a week inside the Cleveland Browns training facility during training camp, putting years of sports medicine education and clinical experience to work in an NFL environment.

Weber spoke with us about what drew him to the field, how hands-on training has shaped his development, and what it meant to work alongside healthcare professionals at one of the highest levels of sports.

Q&A with Alex Weber

What initially drew you to sports medicine and working with athletes?

I was drawn to sports medicine before I even decided to become a chiropractor. I grew up around sports and playing sports, and I knew I wanted a career that involved sports because that was my passion.

I debated becoming a strength and conditioning coach, physical therapist, and chiropractor before ultimately choosing chiropractic.

When you came to SCU, did you already know you wanted to work in sports medicine?

Yes. I chose to come to SCU in large part because of the sports medicine program, but more specifically because of the residency.

I knew I wanted to work in sports medicine, and seeing the opportunities the residency provided was a big factor in my decision to attend SCU.

What does the sports medicine residency experience actually look like?

The sports medicine residency is very multifaceted, and because of that, you develop a well-rounded skill set.

In the clinic on campus, we see tactical patients, primarily from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Orange County Fire Authority, and local police departments.

During the residency, I also go through EMT school, prepare for and take examinations for sports medicine certifications, complete a two-week rotation at the Olympic Training Center, provide sideline coverage for local high school sports, and shadow orthopedic and neurosurgeons.

There are also opportunities to complete additional certifications throughout the residency.

What have you experienced through the residency that you could not necessarily get in a traditional classroom?

I have gained a lot of clinical experience that you just cannot replicate in the classroom.

Learning about pathologies or patient management is important, but actually being able to apply your skills is a completely different experience. It really cements the educational component.

Getting the opportunity to work with challenging populations like athletes and first responders is also something that cannot be replicated in the same way in a classroom setting.

What skills have you developed that you think will stay with you throughout your career?

Throughout my sports medicine residency, I have developed skills in diagnosis, patient management, treatment, and interdisciplinary care.

These are skills I have been able to observe and practice on a daily basis.

How has the residency prepared you to work alongside other healthcare and performance professionals?

I learned to work alongside other healthcare providers by having opportunities to both observe and work with them.

As part of the residency, there are shadowing rotations in orthopedic and neurosurgery offices where you get to see exactly what those providers do on a daily basis.

During rotations at places like the Olympic Training Center and with the Cleveland Browns, I was also able to work directly alongside athletic trainers and physical therapists.

What can students gain from putting themselves in these types of hands-on environments?

Students get the opportunity to actually practice and refine their skills in challenging, real-world environments rather than only learning about them in a classroom.

That experience gives you an opportunity to see how what you have learned translates when you are working with real patients and athletes. 

You recently spent a week with the Cleveland Browns. What was that experience like?

I spent a week in Cleveland working at the Browns’ training facility during training camp.

During that time, I assisted with rehabilitation, performed manual therapy, covered practice, and helped with day-to-day operations as the team went through training camp.

What did it mean to take what you have learned and apply it in an NFL environment?

It was a really special experience for me.

As a lifelong football fan, being able to use the clinical skills I have been developing for the past five years and feel competent at one of the highest levels of sports was an experience that words cannot describe.

For students who hope to work in professional or high-level sports someday, what advice would you give them?

It is challenging to get into sports medicine in any capacity because it is such a competitive field. Professional sports and other high-level sports environments are even more competitive.

The best way to get into the field and get where you want to go is by getting outside your comfort zone.

That can mean working on skills you are not good at, taking opportunities to be in challenging clinical settings, or asking questions to make sure you fully understand something and continue building your knowledge.

If you do not step outside your comfort zone, you will never grow.

Turning Opportunity Into Experience

Weber’s experience with the Cleveland Browns reflects a larger theme throughout his sports medicine training: growth comes from stepping into environments that challenge you to apply what you know.

His path has taken him from the classroom and SCU clinic to tactical patient care, sideline coverage, surgical shadowing, the Olympic Training Center, and now an NFL training camp. Each experience has added another layer to the clinician he is becoming.

Learn more about sports medicine opportunities at SCU: https://www.scuhs.edu/doctoral-degrees/sports-medicine-for-chiropractic/?content=overview