By: Anna Gilstrap
Andrews Sports Medicine-Gardendale relocated to a new, more spacious location on June 8, 2020.
Dr. Jay Umarvadia, a non-surgical sports medicine physician at Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center, has been treating patients at Andrews' original Gardendale clinic since it opened August, 2017. Dr. Umarvadia will continue to treat patients at our new location at 323 Fieldstown Road, next to Chick-fil-A.
We spoke with Dr. Umarvadia about working in Gardendale, his path to becoming a sports medicine physician, and the clinic’s new home in the heart of Gardendale.
Dr. Jay Umarvadia - Non-Surgical Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Physician
Born and raised in suburban Philadelphia, “Dr. Jay” grew up playing sports and was an avid sports fan of local teams. He loved cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles, 76ers, Phillies, Flyers and Penn State Nittany Lions.
He attended college in his home state of Pennsylvania, completing dual undergraduate degrees at Penn State University in University Park, Pennsylvania. He later went on to earn an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire. Dr. Jay Umarvadia earned his medical degree from the American University of Antigua College of Medicine.
Dr. Jay lives in Liberty Park with his wife, Unnati, and six-month-old son, Veer. They enjoy spending time with family and friends, attending sports events and traveling. Their most recent travel includes trips to Italy, Banff, Canada and Hawaii, to name a few.
Q & A: Dr. Jay Umarvadia - In His Own Words
After graduating from the Andrews Sports Medicine/ASMI fellowship program in Birmingham, Alabama in 2017, you joined the Andrews practice a full-time physician. Tell us about the past three years treating patients at Andrews' satellite clinic in Gardendale.
Dr. Jay: It has been nothing short of great. Gardendale and the northern Birmingham community has been very welcoming and we have been appreciative of all the patients here who trust us with their care. It is a tight knit community where everyone knows one another. Annual events, such as the Gardendale Christmas parade allow me to connect with the community outside of the clinic space and I always enjoy seeing all the familiar faces.
Over the past few years, I have had the privilege of treating several student athletes and working with their parents who trust me and our team to help them return to the game safely. In addition, we have several weekend warriors visit us, who have injured themselves doing day-to-day activities, as well as treat chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis. While my main focus is always to treat my patients and help them return to doing what they love, I also enjoy connecting with them on a personal level and getting to know them beyond their chief complaint. I am grateful to serve this community.
You're also the team physician for Gardendale High School, Cordova High School, Corner High School, Dora High School, Hayden High School and Mortimer-Jordan High School. What has your experience been like taking care of the student-athletes at these schools?
Dr. Jay: We have very strong relationships with the athletic trainers at the schools that we cover. Taking care of our high school athletes is definitely a team-based effort between the trainers, physical therapists, my staff, and myself. We all communicate and work together to ensure the health and safety of these student athletes. Our main focus is injury prevention, but in the event that someone is injured, our team’s goal is to provide comprehensive care.
Taking care of these high schools has provided an opportunity to provide care for the surrounding communities as well. We see the student-athletes, which then leads to us seeing their parents and grandparents, uncles and aunts, and friends. It ends up being a neat thing. It is not uncommon for me to hear from a patient, “Hey, you saw my grandchild last week and you’re going to see my daughter next week.”
The Gardendale clinic relocated on June 8, 2020. What are your thoughts on the move?
Dr. Jay: Personally, it is very exciting. It is great for our staff at Andrews Sports Medicine and the community as a whole. When we initially opened our Gardendale clinic (2017), we were not expecting to grow this fast. We have now obtained a strong presence here in Gardendale and northern Birmingham. Gardendale has become a medical hub for the northern part of Jefferson County and I think us being here helps solidify that and makes our impact on the community even greater.
Our team is very excited to be able to provide premier care to our patients in our brand-new facility with state-of-the-art equipment. We have been working hard to get everything setup for our facility opening.
In general, when did your interest in sports medicine begin, and why did you choose it as your field of practice?
Dr. Jay: My interest in sports medicine started early on. As a teenager, I enjoyed both playing and watching sports and academically, I was always drawn to the sciences. So I thought, what better way to combine my two passions and decided to pursue a career in sports medicine.
When I think about the most gratifying aspect of my job, it is getting people back to doing what they love and helping them do that in a safe and healthy way. There is something rewarding about getting someone back to their sport, getting them back to being a weekend warrior, or simply getting a person back to their normal active lifestyle
Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of Andrews Sports Medicine-Gardendale?
Dr. Jay: I hope that we can continue to provide a high level of service and care to the community and develop greater relationships with our student-athletes, athletic directors, and parents. This community is our priority and our goal to make those relationships even stronger. At Andrews Sports Medicine, we are committed to the pursuit of victory over injury and we plan to do just that comprehensively, here at Andrews Sports Medicine-Gardendale.
One last question for fun - some patients have give you the nickname Dr. Jay. As a Philly native, are you happy to share the moniker with NBA and 76er's great, Julius Erving?
Dr. Jay: Yes, I am. Let’s just say the only thing we really have in common is Philadelphia. My basketball skills are nowhere near his level. I am happy to have the nickname nonetheless.
Dr. Umarvadia is accepting new patients at our Gardendale and Birmingham locations. Call (205) 939-3699 to schedule an appointment today.
