Barker Named Marathon Medical Director
Tobias Barker, MD, of Emergency Medicine, was named medical director for the 2007 Boston Marathon. Last year, more than 22,000 men and women ran the Boston Marathon and approximately 1,000 runners required medical attention. Barker will oversee a core team of physicians, podiatrists, nurses, therapists, medical supply officers and medical records assistants in order to plan for medical care for competitors, volunteers and staff.
On Marathon Day in April, there will be approximately 1,300 medical professionals, including physicians, nurses, physician assistants, therapists, podiatrists and EMTs, spread throughout the 26.2-mile course prepared to treat anything from a sprained ankle to hyperthermia. Barker also will work with hospitals throughout Massachusetts to prepare them for the influx of patients on race day.
In addition to his new role as medical director of the Boston Marathon, Barker is the official medical director of Gillette Stadium and associate medical director for the STRATUS Center for Medical Simulation at BWH. His experience caring for the 70,000 plus people at Gillette Stadium events will be invaluable as he prepares the team of medical professionals for the 2007 Boston Marathon.