Director of Clinical Research Clay Spitler, M.D., has been named Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, effective Nov. 1. Spitler also serves as the director of the trauma fellowship.

As Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs, Spitler will help plan and lead the strategic growth of clinical activity across the department as well as clinical improvement initiatives. He will also become a member of the department’s senior leadership team. 

Spitler is a board-certified orthopaedic trauma surgeon and an associate professor in the department. After finishing medical school at the Medical College of Georgia in 2008, Spitler completed a surgery residency at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga and an orthopaedic trauma fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle.

“Since joining UAB in 2018, Dr. Spitler has been a valued member of the department who has exhibited not only clinical skill and expertise, but also tremendous leadership.  His work as Director of Clinical Research has streamlined those operations and significantly grown that portfolio,” said Theiss. “We all look forward to working with Dr. Spitler on these important projects and wish him great success.”