Edwin E. Spencer Jr., MD, originally hails from the coast of North Carolina and completed his undergraduate education at North Carolina State University, graduating summa cum laude. He then graduated from Duke University School of Medicine with distinction. He completed his orthopaedic residency at the University of Michigan, graduating with honors, and then finished a fellowship in shoulder and elbow surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. While in residency and fellowship, he authored numerous research papers and book chapters and was inducted into the prestigious society of American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons. His subsequent research efforts won Dr. Spencer the Charles S. Neer Award, the highest award in shoulder surgery, in both 2011 and 2013. Dr. Spencer specializes in all types of shoulder and elbow surgery. That includes replacements, revision replacements, reconstruction of the upper extremity, deformity cases, arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs, and all other forms of arthroscopic surgery. Dr. Spencer not only performs these surgeries, but also teaches courses for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons as well as at the Orthopaedic Learning Center. He also specializes in caring for the throwing athlete and treating baseball injuries. Dr. Spencer's team includes Jeff Jarnagin, PA, and Anita Davis, LPN. Dr. Spencer has won many awards, including being voted by his shoulder surgeon peers as one of the "Top 28 Shoulder Surgeons" in the USA. He's also been voted a Knoxville "Top Doc" by Cityview Magazine, elected to the "Best Doctors in America" list, selected as a "Castle Connolly Top Doctor," and been named a "Leader in Total Joint Replacement: Generation Next" by Orthopedics Today. Dr. Spencer has helped design several different kinds of shoulder replacements, including a stemless shoulder replacement that is the first of its kind in the USA. He also worked to develop a glenoid component (cup side of the joint) that helps prevent bone loss. In addition, Dr. Spencer pioneered reconstruction of the sternoclavicular joint, and was awarded a patent for a proximal humeral fracture fixation device. Dr. Spencer also continues his research with MOON (Multicenter Orthopaedic Outomes Network) which started more than a decade ago. The group most recently received NIH funding for a landmark study to evaluate the best method to treat atraumatic rotator cuff tears. This study involves 12 centers around the country. Dr. Spencer has enjoyed becoming involved in the East Tennessee community. He has joined the Executive Board of the Great Smoky Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America with pride, as he is an Eagle Scout himself. He and his wife Tracey have two wonderful children who are involved with STAR (Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding) and Knox Youth Sports.