UpdatedMay 15, 2013 8:16 PM ET

Penn State's athletic department is vigorously defending itself against a report questioning the quality of medical care for football players.

In a story in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated, two professors of orthopedics one still at the university and the other a former chair attributed the removal of longtime team doctor Wayne Sebastianelli to reasons other than the quality of care.

The report also called into question the methods of head trainer Tim Bream, a 1983 Penn State graduate who took the job at his alma mater after serving as trainer for the NFL's Chicago Bears.

''To characterize the medical care Penn State provides our student-athletes as anything other than the highest quality is erroneous,'' the athletic department said in a statement. ''Access to urgent and quality care for our athletes is no less than where it was at any point in the past 20 years.''

Sebastianelli remains the director of athletic medicine. In that capacity, he oversees the medical program for football, including new team doctor Peter Seidenberg.

Penn State in February released a statement about the changes, which also included adding Scott Lynch as an orthopedic consultant for football. All three doctors work for Penn State's college of medicine.

The Sports Illustrated story said the change can be traced to a tweaked title in January for athletic director Dave Joyner, who had been serving in an ''acting'' capacity since November 2011.

Joyner replaced Tim Curley, who was placed on administrative leave after being charged with perjury and failure to report suspected abuse in connection with the child sex abuse scandal involving retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. Curley has vehemently proclaimed his innocence.

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Penn State defends medical changes