Sports medicine proved to be the perfect fit for Dr. Finnoff’s passions and goals. Following his education at UNE COM, he completed his physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at the University of Utah. Then, he accepted a sports medicine fellowship position at the Mayo Clinic. “It’s a highly sought-after fellowship program that gives you an amazing education. It opened up a lot of doors for me.” After that, Dr. Finnoff went back to work in the University of Utah’s sports medicine center but was soon contacted by Utah State University to be the Division I school’s head team physician where he stayed for five years. “Working in Division I athletics, I learned so much from some wonderful mentors who really helped me develop as a physician."
When the Winter Olympics came to Salt Lake City in 2002, Dr. Finnoff saw an opportunity to finally get to the Olympics. He served in medical leadership roles during both the Olympics and Paralympics games, then began working with the US Ski Team which he continued to do for almost 20 years. Dr. Finnoff eventually made his way back to the Mayo Clinic where he became the Medical Director of Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center in Minneapolis, MN, and the Fellowship Director for the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Fellowship. When he was offered his current position as Chief Medical Officer for the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) in the Winter of 2020, he saw it as a perfect opportunity to create the best sports medicine program in the Olympic and Paralympic community. “I have done a lot of reorganization within the Olympic and Paralympic medical community. I’m working closely with the US sports national governing bodies to create the best medical community for elite athletics in the world."
While reflecting on his own professional journey, Dr. Finnoff urges aspiring medical professionals to keep an open mind and an interprofessional focus on their practice. “While I came in with the idea of going into sports medicine, it really benefited me to focus on each subject as it was taught, learn as much as I could in each rotation, and make a more educated decision about where I wanted to be in my professional career.” Dr. Finnoff has found that working within an interdisciplinary team to create and implement care programs always produces the best outcome. “I believe that each team member brings a unique perspective and skillset to the table. It helps us make better decisions, create better policies, provide better care to athletes, and conduct better research."
Jonathan Finnoff, DO, FACSM, FAMSSM, RMSK is the Chief Medical Officer for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, a Clinical Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado, and a Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Rochester, MN. Dr. Finnoff is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine. .
Dr. Finnoff has published over 100 articles in peer reviewed journals, authored multiple book chapters, and co-edited a book with Mark Harrast, MD, titled “Sports Medicine: Study Guide and Review for Boards”. He has been a faculty member or course director for numerous national and international conferences and previously served on the boards for the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM). Dr. Finnoff was a team physician for the United States Ski Team for nearly two decades and has provided medical coverage at the Olympics Games, Paralympic Games, World Cups, and World Championships. Dr. Finnoff’s clinical interests are broad and include multiple sports medicine topics including advanced diagnostic and interventional ultrasound and exertional leg pain.
Dr. Finnoff has published over 100 articles in peer reviewed journals, authored multiple book chapters, and co-edited a book with Mark Harrast, MD, titled “Sports Medicine: Study Guide and Review for Boards”. He has been a faculty member or course director for numerous national and international conferences and previously served on the boards for the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM). Dr. Finnoff was a team physician for the United States Ski Team for nearly two decades and has provided medical coverage at the Olympics Games, Paralympic Games, World Cups, and World Championships. Dr. Finnoff’s clinical interests are broad and include multiple sports medicine topics including advanced diagnostic and interventional ultrasound and exertional leg pain.