That is where Dr. Michael Shingles came in.

Shingles, the MSU basketball teams’ surgeon, was tasked with promising a now-professional athlete that he would return him to prime form — and he did just that. Dawson went on to average 10.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game through his career and helped lead the Spartans to a Final Four appearance as a senior. Dawson is now a NBA player for the Los Angeles Clippers.

“Seeing kids coming back from those injuries and rehab, and they’re successful and make the highest level, that is very rewarding,” Shingles said.

Shingles started out as an undergraduate student at University of Michigan. He traded in the maize and blue to attend medical school at MSU, where he got his medical degree from the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

After completing a Fellowship in Orthopedic Sports Medicine under Dr. Herbert Ross, Shingles began working at MSU. He has since climbed the ranks of doctors to be the primary surgeon for MSU men’s and women’s basketball, as well as helping out with the football team.

Shingles always knew medicine was what he wanted to do. Specifically, he knew orthopedic medicine was his true calling.

“The part I liked about medicine is, obviously, the ability to help people, and the thing I liked the most about orthopedic (medicine) is that you see the results pretty quick,” Shingles said.

His desire to help others and see the results was the reason for his choice of profession. When it comes to players such Kalin Lucas and Dawson, who made it to the highest level of competition, it warms Shingles heart to know he had a major impact on their careers.

“When you are working on athletes, there’s a desire to return to an elite level, so it challenges both the physician and athlete to get to that level,” Shingles said. “If someone breaks a bone, you can fix it or if somebody tears up their knee, you can fix it. A lot of medicine you can’t really fix but with injuries you can make people better and see those results.”

Shingles doesn’t just help out MSU athletics. Like most of the doctors at the MSU Sports Medicine Facility, he undertakes multiple responsibilities. Shingles is also the team doctor for both East Lansing High School and the Lansing Lugnuts, but works with other patients as well.

“We have a pretty large group, so we take care of athletes all over Michigan,” Shingles said. “High school kids, pre-high school kids, older athletes, and that’s a large part of what we do, working for Michigan State.”

A surgeon’s work schedule is incredibly complex and never set in stone. Regardless, the numerous years of schooling and practice allow surgeons like Shingles to be prepared for anything, and give back at the same time.

“There are other responsibilities like taking care of MSU athletics, which is the front part,” Shingles said. “You take pride, like our coaches are making sure they get the best care possible, so we are available for athletes 24/7 at Michigan State. In addition to that, we also work at Olin Health (Center) once a week, we have a team of orthopedic surgeons once a week to examine orthopedic injuries to our students at Michigan State.”

One thing is for certain, the athletes appreciate the care that not only Shingles provides, but all the MSU sports medicine doctors. Shingles still keeps in contact with patients like Dawson and Delvon Roe, and they still come back to see him.

“Unfortunately, you get to know the guys who get hurt, and the guys who spent a lot of time here rehabbing we get to know really well,” Shingles said. “A lot of our basketball players, after they graduate, come back to us for medical care.”