- Dr. Joaquin Santos has served for 38 years, offering medical support during College World Series games.
- Each year, he selects four students to work alongside him in the dugouts, fostering hands-on experience and mentorship in sports medicine.
- Dr. Santos cherishes his experiences, including memorable moments like Wichita State’s 1989 national championship, highlighting the joy of collaborating with student-athletes and learning about different universities.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
One dedicated doctor is like the stitches holding this game together, supporting student-athletes from across the country for almost four decades.
Watch Hannah's story:
Dr. Joaquin Santos first made his mark in Omaha as a team doctor for Wichita State University, traveling with their baseball team during matchups against Creighton. After a few years, he was approached to serve as a medic during the College World Series (CWS).
"I've always enjoyed working with student-athletes from other teams as well as my own, and I said I would be honored to do so. They keep asking me, so I keep doing it," Dr. Santos said.
For 38 years, Dr. Santos has returned to assist college athletes, but this year he brought along four lucky students from the Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, who get to work alongside him in the dugouts.
"I had a lottery, and I had one of the secretaries choose four numbers — that’s how we did it. This year, I decided the first four who asked me were the ones who got to come. I may do something different next year," Dr. Santos said.
Over the years, Dr. Santos has forged lasting friendships and created unforgettable memories.
"Well, my favorite memory is when Wichita State won the national championship in 1989 — that’s my personal favorite. But it’s just the joy of working with each of the teams, the trainers, the student-athletes, the coaches, and the administrations. I learn something new every year about other universities that I knew very little about beforehand. It’s a great honor to be allowed to do that," said Dr. Santos.
Dr. Santos tells me he has at least two more seasons left in him.
