Making Sports Medicine History

The co-founder of Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center, Dr. James R. Andrews, began his orthopaedic sports medicine career in 1973 in Columbus, GA. At the time, the field of sports medicine was much more limited than it is now. In 1986, when Dr. Andrews made the decision to move his practice to Birmingham, AL, new ideas and discoveries were beginning to push the boundaries of orthopaedics — and Dr. Andrews was at the forefront of that revolution. Over the next 30 years, Dr. Andrews became known as the patriarch of modern sports medicine.

Research & Education

In 1986, Dr. Andrews also co-founded the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) with the mission of improving the understanding, prevention and treatment of sports-related injuries. ASMI continues to be our primary research and education partner.

The same year it was founded, ASMI established a sports medicine fellowship program. This fellowship has grown to become one of the country’s largest and most respected programs of its kind. Each year, the program provides intensive training, mentorship and research experience to nine of the nation's finest young doctors. To date, more than 390 sports medicine physicians and orthopaedic surgeons have been fellowship trained in Birmingham, AL — some of which continue to work with Andrews Sports Medicine to this day.