Meet Dr. Tommie Berry Jr.! Dr. Berry joined Longstreet Clinic Orthopedics in August 2021. He graduated from Morehouse College, attended medical school at University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky. and his residency was at Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital at the University of Chicago.
We are happy to welcome Dr. Berry to Gainesville!
Question: Please tell us a little bit about what your family.
Answer: “My parents are originally from IL, however they presently reside in Georgia. After achieving most of their shared goals, they were ready for a change so they moved down my junior year of college and never looked back. I guess the trade in for those cold winters was worth it. My father is a realtor and my mother is executive administrative assistant for the EVP Provost Academic Affairs at Emory University.”
Q: Where do you live right now?
A: “I live in the city of Buford. It is a halfway point between where my parents are located and where the office is.”
Q: Why did you decide to get into sports medicine and what do you love about it?
A: “My commitment to the sports medicine field has remained consistent since high school. I previously worked within an impoverished community to promote health and fitness outside of the clinic. During medical school, I served as a health coach to a mother and daughter in a program combating childhood obesity in underprivileged communities. Proper exercise, nutrition, and education were emphasized with a consistent workout schedule and free YMCA fitness classes. Elective rotations, volunteer team coverage, and medical conferences throughout residency solidified my aspiration to become a sports medicine physician. I love the team atmosphere. I relish managing athletes of all activity, competition, and experience levels and enhancing the quality of life of the general population suffering from musculoskeletal conditions. Regardless of status, patients and physicians agree that restoring a dejected patient to their pre-injury functional level is the ultimate reward.”
Q: Do you want to work with a professional team one day?
A: “That may be ideal, however it would come with its own unique challenges depending on the organization, politics, and resources associated with maintaining the role.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
A: “I am more of a stay-cation type person but if the global pandemic resolves, I hope to island somewhere. I have been to the Bahamas before, but I would specifically want to visit Eleuthera for sentimental reasons. I would enjoy traveling across the various African nations for historical reasons and a deeper cultural perspective.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “Definitely travel…own a radio station with a group of my friends and share the love of music. It would just kind of be literally me and them, playing music and selectively DJ. Learn how to DJ is also on my bucket list. Then one of the other things on the bucket list is start a free clinic on my old hometown, Urbana-Champagne,Ill.”
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
A: “I have not explored it as much as I should have, but it seemed like everybody knows everybody and where the hidden gems and where the best like resources are. I don’t say it’s small, but it is very cohesive.”
Q: Who are some of your favorite musicians.
A: “It depends on the genre. I like soul music, hip hop, jazz, pop. I really enjoy all genres so it really depends on what I’m in the mood for. When I would travel a lot and take road trips there might be some days when I would have Marvin Gaye playing…same thing with Donny Hathaway and Prince. Then if I go the Jazz route, I like Rachelle Ferrell and Lalah Hathaway.”
Q: What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?
A: “Kanye west concert at Lincoln Hall when I was in high school and that is sentimental and great because basically performed all the same songs that went on to become like his mega hits for his first, second and third album. And then in college, when I first got to Atlanta, I went to a Jay-Z concert that had essentially like a billion feature acts.”
Q: Favorite month? Favorite holiday? And best single day on the calendar?
A: “I think everybody’s favorite day is Friday because it’s the end of the week for most folks, but you get the start of the weekend. Favorite month, I guess somebody in my situation would be tempt to say January especially when the new year starts and my birthday is Jan. 3. I like summer time so I guess my favorite month is June…I always had a special place in my heart for the month of June. It’s Father’s Day and my dad’s birthday and my parents’ anniversary.”
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
A: “For me, Sunday brunch with friends plus or minus, but as long as my phone doesn’t ring, we’re good.”
Q: If there was a movie about your life who would play you?
A: “So, if there was no budget, I’m fine with Michael B. Jordan playing me. They could find an interesting way to express and explain some of the weird and interesting aspects of my life.”
