O Bloom, MD

I grew up in rural Alamosa, Colorado, and embrace the "small-town doctor" mindset. That includes building lifelong relationships with patients, serving others and giving back to my community. I deeply appreciate and respect the privilege - and responsibility - that comes with being a doctor and strive to have a positive, enduring impact on all my patients. \n Medicine is a calling for me. I consider it a privilege to care for patients, families, teams and my community. My goal is to treat each patient as if they were a family member. I seek to educate, guide and provide appropriate interventions to help patients optimize their health, wellness and well-being. \n While I'm a primary care doctor at heart, my lifelong passion has been athletics. As a 12-year-old, I suffered a complex ankle fracture, and my treatment and recovery triggered a passion for sports medicine that continues today. \n Sports medicine is a natural complement to primary care. My areas of interest include sports-related concussions, baseball arm injuries/arm care and optimizing lifestyle to promote health, wellness and longevity. \n In high school, I was a state champion wrestler and an all-state linebacker. At Dartmouth College, I was an academic All-America linebacker, as well as co-captain and team MVP. The National Football Foundation named me one of the top 15 scholar football players in America in 1994. During my residency and fellowship at Moses Cone Hospital, I was recognized as one of the top 20 family practice residents in America. \n In 2008, I helped establish - and serve as medical director for - the Carolina Sports Concussion Clinic (CSCC), which offers comprehensive evaluation and leading-edge treatment of sports concussions. It's grown into one of the busiest sports concussion clinics in the country. \n CSCC has conducted six clinical studies, including one of the largest community-based studies of pediatric concussions to date, and a nationwide study in conjunction with Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. I've also authored or co-authored dozens of studies and articles on concussions in student athletes. \n I'm also team physician and medical director for the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, co-chief medical officer and head team physician for USA Baseball and team physician for Apex Friendship High School. In addition, I chair USA Baseball's Health & Sports Performance Oversight Committee and serve on the NHL Team Physician Society Executive Committee, the NHL/NHL Players Association Joint Concussion Subcommittee and the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. \n In my free time, I love being with my family - wife, Dr. Carie Bloom, and our three children - as well as our two dogs. I enjoy travel, good food and all sorts of outdoor activities.