The American Osteopathic Foundation (AOF) is pleased to announce the Foundation’s 2021 Physician of the Year is Steven G. Scott, DO.

A pioneer in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries (TBI), Dr. Scott is an originator of the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) polytrauma system of care and a leading researcher into issues affecting those serving in our nation’s armed services, such as treatment and costs of combat-related blast injuries.

Dr. Scott is Chief of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Medical Director of the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center, and Medical Director of the Inpatient Pain Program at James A. Haley’s Veterans’ Hospital (Haley) in Tampa, Florida. He is also Co-Director for the VA Center of Innovation on Disability and Rehab Research.

A committed educator, Dr. Scott is training new generations of physicians in polytrauma medicine. He established the first sports rehabilitation fellowship program in the United States at Mayo Clinic in 1987 and the first spinal cord injury fellowship and PM&R residency in Florida in 2001.

Dr. Scott is Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology and Division Director of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of South Florida's Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa.

Laura A. Bajor, DO, Dr. Scott's colleague at Haley, says “During my time under his leadership, I have watched Dr. Scott challenge the medical status quo time and again. He constantly drives new initiatives and has brought about improvements in TBI patient care too numerous to recount...I have no doubt his tenacity and dedication have improved outcomes for thousands of patients.”

Dr. Scott graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1978 and completed a traditional internship at the Osteopathic Hospital of Maine as well as a residency in physical medicine & rehabilitation at Mayo Clinic’s School of Graduate Medical Education. In his distinguished career, Dr. Scott has received a Letter of Appreciation from the VA Under Secretary for Health and a Certificate of Appreciation from the State of Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.

The AOF Physician of the Year Award is among the American Osteopathic Foundation’s highest honors. It recognizes one DO each year whose extraordinary accomplishments, integrity, commitment to service and patient health are unmatched.