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.jpg "Derrick M. Spencer, Other photo")
Medical Student
State University of New York Upstate Medical University College of Medicine
Derrick Spencer, BA, is a fourth-year medical student at SUNY Upstate Medical University applying into Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency. He is passionate about sports medicine, adaptive sports, and advancing rehabilitation care for athletes and individuals with disabilities.
Derrick has served as Vice President of the PM&R Interest Group at SUNY Upstate, where he organized educational events including a residency match panel, a landmark-guided injection workshop, and an ultrasound teaching session for peers. He has also been active in research, contributing to projects on adhesive capsulitis treatment and head/neck cooling in the initial management of concussion. His work has been accepted for presentation at national meetings including AAPMR and AMSSM.
In addition to his academic and leadership roles, Derrick is deeply involved in community service. He volunteers with adaptive sports organizations such as CNY Adaptive Sports sled hockey, the Special Olympics Winter Games, and Ainsley’s Angels, where he helps children with disabilities participate in athletic events. He also mentors local youth at an after school reading clinic in an underserved area of Syracuse, NY.
Growing up playing ice hockey, Derrick developed a natural interest in the musculoskeletal system and biomechanics. He hopes to combine his background as an athlete with his medical training to pursue a career as a physiatrist, with the goal of helping patients of all abilities optimize their performance, function, and quality of life.
