The University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports & Exercise Medicine team made an impressive mark at the 2025 American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) Annual Meeting, where faculty and fellows were honored across multiple categories for their scholarship and outreach efforts across Birmingham and the world.
Earning one of the AMSSM’s most prestigious honors, Department of Family and Community Medicine Assistant Professor Calvin Spellmon, Jr., M.D., received the Community Advocacy Award. Judges recognized Spellmon’s efforts to improve access to health care, foster future medical professionals, and promote wellness. As Medical Director for the Birmingham City Schools, he is helping reach student-athletes in communities where access to care is often limited. For several years, Spellmon has volunteered his time to lead in-school physical events—removing barriers like transportation and cost that often prevent families from meeting participation requirements. In 2025, the UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine team, under his leadership, provided free, comprehensive pre-participation physicals to more than 1,500 student-athletes across seven high schools. In addition to these efforts, he has led school-based health education initiatives, expanded access to primary care services, and helped mentor aspiring medical students.
Recent Sports & Exercise Medicine Fellowship graduate Mark Carrasco, M.D., received three national honors Carrasco was awarded the Jason Davenport Memorial Scholarship Award, given to outstanding fellows who have demonstrated a commitment to increasing access to care for all and or addressing disparities in sports medicine. He also received the Global Humanitarian Grant Award in recognition of his commitment to expanding primary care sports medicine outreach globally in Nepal. As part of this, Carrasco and fellows will be traveling to Nepal in February of 2026. Additionally, he was named Fellows Quiz Bowl Champion, showcasing his knowledge in a national competition.
Drawing on his personal experience as part of a care team treating traumatic sideline injuries as a fellow, Chris Grijalba, D.O., presented “A Fellow's Role In Multiteam Coordination For Severe Brain Injury Management In Football.” This moving presentation was voted Best Case Presentation by attending faculty members from across the nation, in large part for how Grijalba showcased innovation in clinical education.
For the second consecutive year, Joseph Elphingstone, M.D., was honored with the Resident Scholarship Award for his outstanding work within the Phoebe Putney Health System Family Medicine Residency program. Elphingstone will begin the UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine Fellowship program this month.
Additionally, current fellows Agatha Ambrozy, D.O., and Alex Hanna, M.D., contributed another two posters and two presentations to the conference.
“This is a big year for the UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine Fellowship program, and I could not be prouder of their hard work,” says UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine Fellowship Director, Ian McKeag, M.D., MS, CAQSM. “All four of our fellows have done so well. Colleagues from across the discipline are blown away with how much they are seeing UAB on the podium and the quality of work they are presenting.”
These prestigious awards and distinctions underscore the impact of UAB’s enhanced training, focus on primary care sports research, and dedication to advancing the field of sport medicine. The UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine Fellowship Program is one of the few in the nation to offer a two-year ACGME-accredited experience combined with a Master of Science in Exercise and Nutrition. This integrated approach equips fellows not only with clinical skills in musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal care, but also with advanced knowledge in exercise prescription, nutritional assessment, and behavior change strategies.
This fellowship model reflects UAB’s commitment to shaping well-rounded, forward-thinking sports medicine physicians capable of transforming the well-being of active individuals through patient care, education, and research.