Between elite sports and hospital life

In his primary role, he works as a specialist in orthopedics and trauma surgery at the Sportklinik Hellersen. Since early 2026, he has served as Medical Director there, overseeing the facility’s entire medical operations. It is a role that is less visible than sprinting across the field— but no less significant.

As Medical Director, Dr. Tobias Schmenn serves as both a bridge and a driving force. Unlike in many hospitals, this position at the Sportklinik Hellersen is not tied to the role of chief physician. This creates the freedom to focus on what matters most to him: thinking holistically. He acts as a liaison between medical departments, nursing, administration, and management; facilitates processes; and works with the teams to develop sustainable structures. His goal: to ensure medical quality while simultaneously designing processes that can withstand growing demands.

After all, the healthcare system is undergoing change. Services are increasingly being consolidated, and specialized clinics are taking on more cases. More responsibility, more coordination, more alignment—all while personnel and spatial resources remain the same. In this situation, clear structures are not a luxury, but a necessity.

This is where Dr. Tobias Schmenn’s second leadership role comes into play: As Medical Operations Coordinator at the Sportklinik Hellersen, he oversees organizational processes. He supports department heads on strategic issues, refines processes, and ensures that inpatient care and the affiliated medical care centers will be even more seamlessly integrated in the future. It’s about the big picture—ensuring that many individual treatment pathways come together to form a cohesive system.

What drives him is a belief that runs like a common thread through every aspect of his life: Success is teamwork. You don’t win alone, whether in the operating room or in the stadium. In the stadium, decisions often come down to a matter of seconds. In the hospital, it’s sometimes hours or days—but the principle is the same: responsibility requires clarity. Clear communication, defined responsibilities, and trust in the team. What determines victory or defeat in professional soccer ensures quality and patient safety in everyday hospital life.

Conversely, his work on the sidelines also benefits from his daily routine at the hospital. His day-to-day work in a highly specialized clinical setting gives him the technical depth and confidence to accurately assess risks on the sidelines in a matter of seconds. What appears to be a spontaneous decision in the stadium is actually the result of clinical experience.

The hospital corridor and the stadium are worlds apart—and yet they are surprisingly similar. Both are about people, health, and responsibility. And always about trust. This trust is also supported by his personal life. Family, colleagues—they are all part of a network that enables him to fulfill his various roles. Structure, mutual understanding, and a strong team behind the scenes are what make the balancing act between hospital management and elite sports possible in the first place.

When the floodlights go out and the workday at the clinic comes to an end, one thing remains constant: the commitment to taking responsibility. Whether in the clinic’s conference room or out on the field—for Dr. Tobias Schmenn, what matters in the end is the same attitude: working together as a team.