Big Ten Conference Hires Chief Medical Officer

The Big Ten Conference has named Dr. James Borchers as its first chief medical officer, a new position that will provide guidance to the conference’s 14 member schools on a variety of medical issues, including mental health of athletes. Borchers most recently served as the head team physician for The Ohio State University athletics department.

Borders will advise Big Ten universities on matters of student-athlete health and safety and will lead all conference sports medicine programming and initiatives including policy development, research, educational opportunities and public outreach. He is also expected to provide advice and guidance to Big Ten Conference Commissioner Kevin Warren, the Council of Presidents and Chancellors, athletics directors, faculty athletic representatives, senior woman administrators, team physicians, athletic trainers, coaches, and the conference’s Mental Health & Wellness Cabinet.

“The physical and mental well-being of our student-athletes is our top priority,” said Warren. “The addition of Dr. Borchers will further serve and protect the health and safety of our nearly 10,000 student-athletes. It will also ensure the conference is on the cutting edge of the latest medical advances and that we maintain strong interconnectivity to the best and brightest professionals in the medical community.”

Borchers also will serve as a conference spokesperson to communicate health and medical matters to external stakeholders.

“It is an honor to be named chief medical officer for the Big Ten Conference, which has long been a leader in collegiate athletics,” said Borchers. “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.”