Irfan Asif, MD, chair of the UAB Department of Family and Community Medicine and Heersink Endowed Professor of Sports and Exercise Medicine, has been elected as 2nd vice president of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) and will assume the organization’s presidency in 2027. AMSSM is comprised of more than 5,350 primary care sports medicine physicians.
“AMSSM has profoundly shaped my career, and I am deeply honored that my peers in the organization elected me as their 2nd vice president,” said Asif. “AMSSM is not just an organization—it’s a community I consider my sports medicine family. My commitment to AMSSM runs deep, shaped by the personal and professional support it has provided throughout my career.”
Asif's journey with AMSSM began in 2007. Since then, he has held numerous leadership positions, including program chair for the Annual Meeting, Board of Directors member, and chair of the AMSSM Collaborative Research Network (CRN). As chair of the CRN, he strengthened AMSSM’s research infrastructure, established mentorship programs for junior researchers, and formed key partnerships with organizations such as the NFL, USOPC, and NWSL. While serving as co-chair of the 2021 CRN Summit on Exercise Medicine, Asif was instrumental in developing AMSSM educational modules now utilized in more than 30 countries.
In his new role, Asif aims to strengthen AMSSM's partnerships, expand its visibility, and solidify its position as a leader in sports medicine education, research, and advocacy. As the field of sports medicine grows in scope and complexity, Asif hopes his experience generating resources and cultivating partnerships will help the organization set priorities and navigate evolving health care challenges.
“AMSSM has always been a vibrant and forward-thinking organization that values and supports all its members. Our unique skills as sports and exercise medicine physicians position us to tackle pressing global issues—preventing chronic disease, enhancing physical and mental well-being, and leveraging exercise as a transformative tool for health,” explained Asif.
Founded in 1991, AMSSM provides a forum to foster professional relationships among primary care, non-surgical sports medicine physicians, advancing sports medicine through education, research, advocacy, and excellence in patient care.