Dr. Tracy McKay & Dr. Rosa Pasculli: Performing Arts Medicine

RUSK Insights on Rehabilitation Medicine

In this episode, the two discuss how and when they began to develop an interest in performing arts medicine; health screening of performers prior to participation in these activities; failure to admit the existence of a health problem because of a fear of being replaced by a healthier performer; types of clinicians involved in treating performing artists; and approaches to preventing health problems in performing artists.

Dr. Tracy McKay is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She specializes in Integrative Sports and Spine Medicine with a special interest in Performing Arts Medicine. Dr. McKay is Chairperson of the Performing Arts Medicine Community of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and served as consulting medical director for the Broadway show, Here Lies Love. She is a staff physician at the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries and provides care to professional dance companies that include Complexions, Alvin Ailey, Ballet Hispanico, and AIM.

Dr. Rosa Pasculli is a non-operative Sports Medicine physician at Emory Orthopedics at Grady Health System in Atlanta. Her primary clinical area of interest is performing arts medicine. She serves as a consulting physician for the Atlanta Ballet, the Georgia Ballet, and she is a faculty member of the Female Athlete Program. She also serves as a team physician for Emory University, the College Park Skyhawks, and several Atlanta high schools. Dr. Pasculli completed medical school at New York University School of Medicine and her residency was in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at NYU. She also had a fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine at Emory University.