Maggie McKay (Host): From being a champion swimmer to now treating elite athletes as well as the community, today, we'll meet Dr. Tiffany Bohon with the University of Missouri Healthcare, who's an orthopedic expert, caring for athletes in football, wrestling, men's and women's swimming and diving. Let's meet the official team physicians for Mizzou Athletics. Welcome, Dr. Bohon. What a pleasure to have you here today. Can you please introduce yourself?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Sure. Thanks so much for having me. So, I'm Tiffany Bohon. I'm a team physician here at the University of Missouri. And as you mentioned, I cover multiple sports and do family medicine in town, as well as work here at the Missouri Orthopedic Institute, seeing athletes of all ages, weekend warriors, older athletes, younger athletes, as well as Mizzou athletes.

Host: I can't wait to find out more about your swimming career, because that was my sport of choice as well in high school. You did it in Columbia, Missouri, where you're from during high school. Tell us about that.

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Sure. So, yes, I grew up not too far from here. So, I went to Hickman High School and was a swimmer. My sister is three years older than I am, and she was a swimmer, so I think I just followed in suit. I was going to the meets, and so I started swimming, thanks to her and my parents driving us to everything. So, lots of swimming growing up, in high school swam at Hickman and was a state champion my freshman year and then somehow was able to pull it off the next three years. So, I was a four-time state champion in the a hundred-yard breaststroke and 200 IM my senior year also. So, lots of great memories growing up in town, swimming and then, as you mentioned, went on to swimming here at the University of Missouri for four years and have lots of great memories from that as well.

Host: How fun. And your alma mater was recently inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Correct. Yes. Yep. Very exciting. It was great to see people from decades ago and just be celebrated.

Host: Dr. Bohon, how much did your swimming career influence your decision to practice sports medicine?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: I think it had a huge impact on it. Growing up I knew I wanted to do something in the medical field. I was just very interested in the human body and body systems and originally came into school wanting to do physical therapy and then just really wanted to dive even deeper. Loved the heart, the lungs, and things like that, so I think just activity and sports has always been something I've loved to do. So, it's been great to be able to see a lot of patients who are athletic and want to get back in the pool or on the court or on the field. And so, that was a good, I guess, upbringing, being involved in sport to then realize I really want to continue to be involved somehow even as I get older.

Host: Was there any moment or event that you realized, "This is what I want to do"?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: I think in terms of going to medical school, I was in a physiology course here and it was a pre-physical therapy course and, once again, just loved learning about the heart and the lungs and body systems. I remember meeting with my professor and talking through things and then realizing that I'm going to change majors as a junior, have to take all new prerequisites and then end up applying to medical school. So, that was a pivotal moment realizing that, yes, I loved learning about kinesiology and PT, but also wanted to dive deeper into the human body. So, I think that in terms of medical school and becoming a physician, but I've always loved athletics and thought about athletic training route, doing sports medicine. So, I was a student athletic trainer here with the football team after I was done swimming. So in my fifth year since I changed my major as a junior, did not graduate on time, and was able to be a student trainer and loved the training room and being a student athletic trainer. So, I've really done lots of different roles and have enjoyed each one of them, but I think the common thread is learning about the body and then being involved in athletics.

Host: Were your parents supportive of your switch?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Yeah, definitely. My dad is a dentist and his dad was a dentist and his dad was a dentist. And so, I never was pressured to go into dentistry. They've all loved their jobs and my parents both wanted me to choose something that I was passionate about doing, and I think that's a huge encouragement that I give to people that apply to med school and residency, that you have to do something you love, your parents want you to do it, you're the one up late studying and taking all the boards, all your tests. And so, they were always very supportive of anything that I wanted to do.

Host: And tell us about injury prevention when it comes to the elite athletes at Mizzou. What do you do for that?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Sure. So very similar to, you know, the patients I saw this morning that are not Mizzou athletes, that we want to do all we can, we're happy to see them, but we would love for them to not have to come in to clinic. And if we can do different things, getting our gluteal muscles stronger to help prevent knee and ankle issues or hip issues, getting your shoulder stronger to help decrease risk of shoulder elbow issues, especially with any throwing athlete at any age. So, all of those things apply, no matter elite or just the weakened warrior coming in, or someone that does a lot of manual labor and they have overuse injuries similar. So, really strengthening, getting in some good physical therapy to get us stronger I think could really help a lot of people and keep people from coming in here.

Host: What injuries do you treat the most or do you see the most?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Good question. So, probably knee pain, I feel like knee pain and shoulder pain. We see ankle, foot and ankle, and then hip. I think it depends on the time of the year what athletes are coming in. So in football, we see quite a few knee injuries. If people are doing more basketball, baseball, I feel like we're seeing more upper extremities. So, it kind of depends on the season or when the trampolines come out and people start jumping on trampolines or falling off the monkey bars. So, it depends on the season, but I would say probably knee and shoulder is what we see the most.

Host: Speaking of football, can you just tell us about Friday Night Lights Program?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Yeah. So, it's a great program that we do for the community and surrounding communities. We have been doing it, I don't want to quote a number, but for a number of years. When I started, we were having us and then also residents and medical students if they want to go to football games on Friday nights, and then we had a clinic after that. So, it was a late night clinic even until about 11:00 PM and we realized that maybe Saturday morning was a better time for people, just because it was so late having everyone here, the x-ray tech and front desk staff, and it seemed to be a better time for people, Saturday morning. So, we have residents and then ourselves often covering high school games on Friday night. And then if something happens, we have good continuity, that we can see that athlete the following morning, immediately get x-rays, get bracing, crutches, get them set up for further imaging if needed.

Host: Tell us more about Mizzou's facilities for swimmers, because I understand they are top-notch, premier.

Tiffany Bohon, MD: They are. Yes. And I can speak from experience of what it used to be. So when I grew up swimming here, it was a different pool. And so my junior year, I was one of the captains and we had to go around to different students here. They had to have an increase in their fee to build this new pool. So, I remember my junior and senior year trying to sway people that this addition to the rec center would be a great one and benefit a lot of people. And they ended up building it. I believe it was done in 2005, which was a year and a half after I was done. So, I did not get to swim in the amazing pool. But I can definitely speak to how amazing it is to go to meets. And if we have any tours for people, I'm biased, but I love to take them by the pool because it is immaculate when you stand there and look at the end. And and even if you Google it, you can see what a great pool it is. And Michael Phelps and some other great swimmers have been here and have said what a great pool it is. And it's funny to say it's a fast pool but, you know, having to do with the gutter system and the depth of the pool and it is truly a fast pool and a lot different than the small pool that we used to have. So, it's been a great addition for our swim team and then for just the school in general.

Host: Now, I want to see it, Dr. Bohon. When I took my son a couple years ago to see colleges, that's always the first thing I wanted to see. And he's not a swimmer, and he's like, "Let's concentrate on what I'm here for." But I always wanted to see the pools. You know, it tells a lot about the school. So, Mizzou Athletics trusts MU healthcare, the official team doctors to provide world-class care for their premier athletes, keeping the athletes at the top of their game with expert care during the games and training camps and practices and beyond. That's got to be intense. What's the biggest challenge and what's the biggest reward?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: That's a really good question. So, I think the challenge is like with anything in most jobs is that work-life balance. Just knowing that there is a lot to do and trying to balance that with your other patients and then having time to do things outside of work. And so, sports medicine is a good but busy field. And so, I think that's one thing, just always trying to be everywhere in the different locations and covering different things. I think that's the hardest part. Not to flip it, but also one of the best parts, you never get tired of what you're doing. You're always doing a lot of different things and so, jumping around to different training rooms in here. And, as I mentioned, I also am at a family medicine clinic, and so all these different hats I wear, and a lot of us here are doing a lot of teaching for the medical students, the residents; we have a fellowship, so our fellow. And so, it's just lots of different hats, but I enjoy each one. It's just trying to juggle those things and having that perfect balance. I don't know if anybody has the perfect balance, but really trying to have that.

Host: And it sounds like your weekends are pretty full, even with work, right? It's almost like your work week is extended into the weekend. So, I wonder when you have any free time.

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Yeah, it depends on the season. So, football season is very busy in clinic because we see a lot of high school athletes, junior high athletes and then, on the weekends, with Mizzou football and things like that, it can get busy.

Host: So, the specialists you see caring for Mizzou's elite athletes on the field and at the pool are the same experts that you find caring for athletes of all ages at Missouri Orthopedic Institute. So Dr. Bohon, how is treating student athletes and the community different?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Really, in my opinion, it's the same. You know, going in there just with a caring heart and hearing someone's ., no matter if they are a big recruit here at the University of Missouri, or they're a 75-year-old who just picked up tennis, they're a patient who is here, wants our opinion, needs our help, and so really treating them all the same and trying to go above and beyond for everyone. And if they're from out of town, people drive here from two or three hours away. And just like the Mizzou athlete, I want to try to expedite getting advanced imaging. But for them, I don't want them to have to drive back two or three hours. So, we really try to expedite everything we can. Obviously, there's hurdles that we can't control, such as insurance and things like that, but really trying to go above and beyond with everyone that we see, I think, shows that we're doing the same thing for our elite athletes, our weekend warriors or athletes just picking up something for the first time, we treat them all the same.

Host: And when you're not working, what's your favorite pastime? What do you like to do?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: So, I would say riding on the MKT or Katy Trails. We have a great trail system around here and so that's been what I love to do to get out. Obviously, it's cold right now, so I don't like it when it's freezing out or if it's snowing. But my favorite thing is to get out and just ride along the river on my bike and get outside. It's just therapeutic and fun to be able to get some exercise as well.

Host: Are you a dog person or a cat person?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Good question. So, we always had had cats growing up and then we got dogs. And then now, I'm more of a dog person. I like cats and dogs, but I would say a dog.

Host: Do you have pets?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: I do not. I do not.

Host: Yeah. You don't have time, right? You have to be home and walk them and all that.

Tiffany Bohon, MD: I would love to have a dog, but yes.

Host: What's the best thing about growing up in Columbia?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: I tell people I think that it's a gym, it's a college town, not too small, not too big, has everything you need, always something going on. Even the other day, someone was talking about Boyz II Men. And I remember that I went to a Boyz II Men concert here growing up, I saw Whitney Houston growing up, New Kids on the Block, just all these things; that growing up in Columbia, because of it being a college town, I was able to go just across the street right here to all these great concerts. And so, I think always having sporting events to go to, whether it was Mizzou basketball growing up, or Mizzou football, always fun things to do in town and just a good size and great public schools growing up. And so, it was just a really good place to grow up and it's fun to come back now and serve in my community. I went away for my fellowship in sports medicine, so I went to New York City and then came back to Columbia. So, it was good for me to get out and see a different part of the country and then come back to the Midwest and just really good to be back and be around people that I grew up with and just friends and family.

Host: Absolutely. What do you love most about Mizzou, the university?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: The people. Yeah. I'm saying it's the people, and that's what really brought me back. We get asked that a lot during fellowship interviews or residency interviews, "What makes you different?" And I hope that they're able to see that truly, and not just me saying that, but getting along with everyone and just the fact that everyone just seems to build everybody up. I think in a lot of jobs, a lot of things are competitive. But here, the whole team that we have, especially taking care of our Mizzou athletes, any one of them would do anything for me and I would do the same for them. And so, I think just kind of the family atmosphere of really caring about one another and enjoying to be around each other is my favorite thing, whether that's the nurses, the physicians I work with, the athletic trainers that we work very closely with here at Missouri Orthopedic Institute, then also through athletics, they're just great people. They really make the difference, for sure.

Host: That is everything, right? Because if you love what you do, but you work at a place where you don't really connect with the people, it's not fun. We talked a little bit about your parents. Did they have any influence in your career choice?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Not really. My mom's dad was a physician. And so yeah, he would have for sure. And then, like I mentioned, my dad's side of the family, all dentists, so medical field for sure. But both of them were just really supportive and let me kind of just find what I love to do and they stood back and supported me along the way.

Host: Thus, your great teeth and smile, all the dentists in your family. Dr. Bohon, what would you like to see change when it comes to women's athletics?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Yeah. So, it's good to see how much change there has already been. Looking back, I have a talk that I've done on the female athlete, and just seeing from Title IX until now, just the exponential growth that we've seen in women's sports and that's so great. My mom grew up an hour and a half north of here and had no opportunities for sports in high school. So just thinking the difference that her life in high school was compared to mine and then moving here and how appreciative I am of growing up in a community where there was swimming, that I was able to do that and then that probably led me here to sports medicine and being able to work for the University of Missouri.

So, I think it's come so far. So, it's amazing to see the difference now compared to when my mom grew up and I think it's just going to continue to grow. I'm involved and support the Women Intersport Network, which I believe is a nationwide organization. And we have every February a luncheon here and they bring in a speaker. A couple years ago, it was Holly Rowe, just encouraging females in sports. And so, it's been great to see that and to be able to care for a lot of these female athletes, especially at Mizzou, having been one, just having that common ground and continue just to support the growth of females in sports.

Host: So, not necessarily in your professional life, but in your personal life, what are you most grateful for?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: I would say my family. I think that being in Columbia, it's been great. It's good for me to get away a little bit and then get back. My brother and my sister and my parents and my grandparents are not too far from here. So, I think just really thankful that no matter what, through all the ups and downs, I feel like I've been blessed and I've had a lot of ups and a lot of good things. But the fact that my family has been so supportive through all of my swimming and then all of my training to get to where I am, it definitely takes a team and I couldn't have done it myself. And so, I think them just always supported me from a young age, just really, really thankful for them.

Host: And what's the favorite part of your job?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: I think seeing patients when they come back and I've had a plan for them and then they come back, and they're so grateful for what I've done. Even this morning, I had someone that came in and they said something and I had done an injection on them and they got a lot better. And he had said, "You're so awesome." And I kind of heard him, but I didn't really respond and walked out and said, "Did he say that?" And they said, "Yeah. He said you're so awesome." And so, things like that really help, because you want to help everybody and some people are very, very grateful and get a lot better. And we can't help everyone. I think that's a hard part of the job that we want everyone-- you know, we're here to help people get better. And then, there's some that we help as much as we can and most people get better. But then, the ones that we want to take all the pain away, but sometimes that's not possible to take it all away. But then, we can have them switch from one sport to swimming or something that you know is not going to cause as much pain, ideally.

Host: Do you keep in touch with past students? Did anyone ever come back and say, "I'm now a professional athlete"?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: A few, yes. I've been back about 10 years now. So, it's good to still cross paths with someone. They come back. If it's like senior meet, they come back, so I'll see them and keep in touch with some of them. So, it's been great to see. And it definitely makes me feel old the more that they've gone away and done something and then come back and I feel like it was just last year that they were here. But then you realize, wow, time really does fly and I feel like it just gets faster and faster.

Host: You're right, it does, but you are not old. If you could have a vacation house, Dr. Bohon, somewhere other than Missouri, where would it be, anywhere? Maybe you already do.

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Yeah, no, I don't, but I would love to have a house in Maui. So, Maui, Hawaii would be my dream location for a second house.

Host: And what's your dream car?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Oh gosh. Yeah, growing up I always wanted a red BMW convertible. I'm not sure why, but that would probably be my dream car. But I also am pretty just practical and plain. And then, I have a black 4runner and I love my black Toyota 4runner. So, I mean, I think that's probably why I have it. It's probably my dream car. I had another one that I drove for 18 years and then upgraded. So now, I'll probably have this one for a long time as well.

Host: Wow. You must have taken good care of it to make it last for 18 years. So, what is your favorite sport to play and what's your favorite sport to watch?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Good question. So, I am a swimmer through and through, so I don't know if I'm good at anything else besides swimming. So, probably swimming would be the sport that I would do. Watch? Yeah, that is hard. My brother used to play tennis and so I love watching tennis, so like the Australian Open right now or the US Open, so that was always fun to be able to go. I went to that and New York to watch the US Open. So, I love watching tennis. And Mizzou basketball, I've watched that for a very long time, so from a young age. And then, Mizzou football, of course, I really enjoy watching that. So not really answering, but I would be a swimmer and watch all of the above, tennis, basketball, and more college sports. I don't really watch much NBA. I do watch the NFL because of the Kansas City Chiefs. But really, I watch a lot of sports, so all of the above.

Host: Is there anything else you'd like to add that we should know about you?

Tiffany Bohon, MD: I don't think so. I enjoy what I do. I'm so grateful for the opportunity and thankful for my patients, because I choose to do what I do. And they don't choose to have their injury or to come in. And so, it's meeting patients at a hard time in their life and them entrusting us with their care and really appreciative of that.

Host: Dr. Bohon, thank you so much for sharing your insight and letting us inside your world a little bit. It's been a pleasure meeting you.

Tiffany Bohon, MD: Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity.

Host: Absolutely. If you'd like to find out more, please call 573-882-BONE or visit muhealth.org. If you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out our entire podcast library for topics of interest to you. I'm Maggie McKay. Be well.