Former Averett University quarterback Shan Fairbanks '08 let his challenges and experiences as a student-athlete with the Cougars shape a pathway that helped make his career aspirations come true. From once calling plays on the gridiron to now making decisions in the training room, Fairbanks is living the life he'd always imagined after realizing he wanted to be a doctor at the age of 16.

Fairbanks is currently a primary care sports medicine physician for Sideline Orthopedics while also doing some urgent care work on the side. He's a team physician for Bluefield College, Bluefield State and Concord University. This includes sideline coverage while also seeing some of the athletes in their clinic. His day-to-day duties includes non-surgical orthopedics, ultrasound guided injections, biomechanical evaluations for athletes, pre-sport physicals and regenerative medicine.

Originally from Groveland, Florida, Fairbanks credits his alma mater for preparing him for his future during his time in college.

"Averett helped me reach my goals as they provided a sound foundation of the knowledge I needed for medical school," Fairbanks said. "Being an athlete at Averett also helped me with my time management which is an important aspect of my everyday life when seeing numerous patients throughout the day and trying to prioritize tasks."

The biomedical science major was a four-year member of the football program and a part of the Averett football program's conference championship team in 2006. Fairbanks never had a doubt about what he wanted to study when he got to the collegiate level. He's thrived ever since.

Following graduation from Averett, Fairbanks attended medical school at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) which is a private, osteopathic medical school on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. This led to a surgical internship from 2015-2016 in Elmira, New York. After the internship, Fairbanks worked for a family medicine residency at Riverside Regional Medical Center from 2016-2019, where he was named chief resident in 2019.

The next step in Fairbanks' career was getting to work in the Virginia Tech sports medicine program.

"I was part of a group of physicians who took care of all 500-plus Virginia Tech athletes," Fairbanks said. "Working for Virginia Tech was a dream come true. I always knew I was never going to play Division I sports, but I knew I wanted to be a physician and at least have the opportunity to work behind the scenes and take care of athletes in the Division I setting."

Fairbanks described the opportunity as life changing and will never forget being able to be on the sidelines for the Hokies running out to "Enter Sandman" as well as being in the middle of one of the loudest atmospheres in college football. He finished his fellowship in July of 2020 at Virginia Tech.

Fairbanks now resides in Christiansburg, Virginia, along with his wife and two kids, Kinley and Maddox.

"I have two favorite memories at Averett with the first being meeting my wife, Ashley," Fairbanks stated. "She has been a tremendous supporter going through the process I have been through over the course of the last 10 years from medical school to internship and residency and finally fellowship to being part of a new practice. She is a rock and I will forever be grateful. The other is being part of the 2006 conference championship team. That was a great year."

At Averett, Fairbanks appeared in a total of 27 games while throwing for 2,838 yards — sixth all-time in program history — with 19 touchdowns. His highest single-game passing game was a 303-yard performance against Guilford College, and Fairbanks still ranks among the top 10 in numerous single-game, season and career passing categories.

Fairbanks' time as a student-athlete helped him find his calling now helping athletes in his everyday life.

"I love being a physician because I have always liked helping people and I thought it would be the best way to give back to the community I live in," Fairbanks said.