Marquette sports medicine physician Dr. John Lehtinen added another feather to his cap recently when he was named to the medical staff for the summer Olympics in Beijing.
This will be Lehtinen’s third Olympics he’s served at, including being the head physician for the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta. He also served at the 1992 summer Olympics in Barcelona.
While being selected by the U.S. Olympic Committee to help maintain the health of our country’s top athletes is undoubtedly a high honor, “Doc” Lehtinen is much better known locally for his extensive service to local athletes.
He is especially noted for his work with area youths, including serving as a team physician for Marquette Junior Hockey, Marquette Electricians travel team, Marquette Area Public Schools, Marquette Rangers hockey team, the U.S. Olympic Education Center and Northern Michigan University sports.
He is also a volunteer assistant coach for NMU hockey and has coached hockey at various levels for about 30 years. He’s also been known to don the equipment and put the hockey skills he learned in his native Copper Country to use on local ice surfaces.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Michigan Tech University, Lehtinen earned his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. In addition to being board certified in sports medicine, he is also certified in geriatrics, addiction medicine and family medicine.
When not working with area sports teams, Lehtinen practices medicine at the Marquette General Sports Medicine and Injury Clinic in the Peninsula Medical Center in Marquette.
While Doc will be missed by area athletes with injuries from Aug. 8-24 while in Beijing, it’s certainly an honor for him to be working hard to maintain the health of U.S. Olympic athletes as they compete in the biggest game in sports.
