Dr. Eyunni: Twins’ Team Physician

Vijay Eyunni, M.D., M.P.H., is a team physician for the Minnesota Twins. He answers questions about his role with the team and his experiences with his “family” the past 11 years.

How long have you been a physician with the Twins, and how did you land this opportunity?

I have been working with the Minnesota Twins for 11 years now. Dr. McKenzie, a colleague of mine at Minnesota Occupational Health, was the Twins physician for 30 years. When he retired in 1998 he recommended me to the Twins to be his replacement, and I have been working with the team ever since.

What are some examples of services you provide for the team?

Every year at the beginning of the Twins season, I attend spring training to evaluate the players and coaches to make sure they all are going to start off the season healthy. All of the players receive a complete head to toe physical to ensure there are no health issues that would preclude them from participating during the games. During the season I am present at the home games in case there is any illness or injury to a coach or a player. If a situation does occur during a game, I treat them on-site; if there is a need for further evaluation I make the arrangements for them to be taken care of.

What do you enjoy most about working with the team?

In the 11 years that I have worked for the Twins, the team has become a part of my family. I have become very close with all of the coaches and players over the years. There is a certain camaraderie between the coaches, players, and doctors, and I am honored to be a part of it.

What is your goal as a team physician?

My main goal as a team physician is to keep everyone on the team healthy so they can give the maximum effort as a team and hopefully lead us to our 3rd World Series title.

When not with the Twins, what other types of patients and injuries do you see?

Outside of being the Twins physician, I am an occupational health physician for Minnesota Occupational Health and Summit Orthopedics. The patients I see are people who come in with injuries that occurred at their jobsite. This includes any injury or illness sustained at work, including shoulder, back, neck, and ankle problems, etc. I also perform pre-placement exams on prospective employees for multiple companies throughout the metro area.