After 33 years of service to UAB, Amie McLain, M.D., former Chair of the UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, has been appointed Professor Emerita and plans to retire from clinical practice. 

Throughout her career, McLain has founded and directed the nation's first reproductive health clinic for women with disabilities. She has served on the NIH Advisory Committee for Health of Women with Disabilities, the United Spinal Association’s national committee, “Women Without Limits”, and was a panel member for the Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine to develop clinical practice guidelines for women with spinal cord injuries (SCI).

McLain served as president of the American Spinal Injury Association and as a member of the International Spinal Cord Society’s scientific committee and council. She has published a number of research studies in peer-reviewed journals and has served as a reviewer for Spinal Cord, Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, and Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. A great achievement was her authorship of the chapter “Women with Disabilities” in the well-known obstetric textbook, Obstetric Medicine; Management of Medical Disorders in Pregnancy. 6th ed., edited by Cohen and August and published by People’s Medical Publishing House, USA. 

Prior to attending medical school, McLain worked for two years at Spain Rehabilitation Center in the UAB Division of Urology pursuing research activities involving basic science investigations of urological complications following SCI. She completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at UAB and, since joining the staff as a faculty member in 1988, has made her major focus of clinical research activity the medical management of spinal cord injuries and disorders.

McLain’s passion, insights, and convictions have shaped patient care, education, and research. Her distinguished career has left an impact on the department. As she retires, the department hopes to expand upon her legacy of excellence. 

“I have had the opportunity to grow professionally due to the encouragement, support, and resources provided by UAB. While my training and career have been centered in one place it gave me a very unique perspective of UAB. I’ve experienced so many School of Medicine and Department of PM&R changes and growth. I’ve met and worked with many people throughout the decades —both within the institution and also in the community and state—who have been truly dedicated to the goals and values of our mission. It has been rewarding to see that dedication make our health system what it is today. Not too many people can take pride in that longevity.“ said McLain.