Dr. Elan Goldwaser Cited for Best Presentation at AOASM Annual Meeting
Dr. Elan Goldwaser
Elan L. Goldwaser, DO, received best presentation on “Sudden Cardiac Death in an Olympic Athlete” at the 2020 American Osteopathic Association of Sports Medicine, Virtual Annual Meeting held in May. Dr. Goldwaser, a sports medicine physician specializing in primary care and interventional sports medicine in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, focuses on the management of complex musculoskeletal conditions affecting athletes.
While covering the New York Road Runners Milrose Games, a leading international track and field event in 2019, Dr. Goldwaser was involved in resuscitating Kemoy Campbell, a Jamaican Olympic track athlete, who suddenly collapsed off the track while pacing the men’s 3,000 meter race. After being found by the event staff to be pulseless, the medical staff employed CPR and lifesaving measures and Mr. Campbell regained a pulse and began breathing again. He was then transported to Columbia’s cardiac ICU, where he was diagnosed with cardiac sarcoidosis, a rare but potentially fatal disease.
After extensive testing, monitoring, and performing cardiac physical therapy, Mr. Campbell has become progressively more active and even returned to the Milrose Games this year where he received a standing ovation by the crowd when he fired the starting gun.
Dr. Goldwaser continues to do research on cardiac sarcoidosis and says, “Cardiac sarcoidosis is a rare and life-threatening condition that can lead to sudden cardiac death in anyone at any caliber of athleticism. Having an efficient and effective Emergency Action Plan in place can quite literally save lives.”
On receiving the 2020 AOASM award, Dr. Goldwaser says, “It was inspiring to present this topic at a national meeting and see so many participants taking interest in the case through thought-provoking questions and commentary. It was a uniquely amazing situation to be in; not only to have won this podium case presentation, but to also be involved in a large-scale meeting that was at last-minute converted to a virtual platform. To see everyone work together to make this happen quickly reminds me what we’re all capable of when we work together towards a common goal.”