In 1983, Dr. Bernard Feldman volunteered his skills to serve as Medical Director of the World Junior Wrestling Championships held in his home state of Illinois. That choice to donate his time fueled a relationship that has lasted more than 25 years and taken him to wrestling events all over the world.

Feldman earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and attended the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine. After graduation, he completed his internship at Passavant Memorial Hospital (Northwestern University Medical Center) in Chicago.

After a stint in the U.S. Air Force as a flight surgeon, he continued at Passavant, serving a residency in general surgery, before moving on to additional residency training in orthopedic surgery at the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago.

He served as a team physician for the Chicago White Sox and for the varsity football team at H.L. Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Ill., but it is in the sport of wrestling where he has had his greatest impact.

Since that first volunteer experience in 1983, he has worked at over 120 international wrestling events, including five Olympic Games: Seoul in 1988, Barcelona in 1992, Atlanta in 1996, Sydney in 2000 and Beijing in 2008. In addition, he was selected as an official wrestling physician for 14 Senior World Championships, two Junior World Championships, two Cadet World Championships, five World Cups, two Pan American Games, nine Pan American Championships and two Junior Pan American Championships.

Feldman has served as a member of the FILA Medical Prevention and Anti-Doping Department since 2001. In 2008, he was awarded FILA’s Silver Star, one of the most prestigious awards given by the international wrestling association for his commitment to the sport.