Dr. Jay Patel

Born in Fiji and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Dr. Jay Patel currently serves as Director of Sports Performance Science with the University of South Carolina Athletics Department. He is also the director of research at Prisma Health-USC Orthopedic Center. A former multisport athlete at the high school and collegiate level, Dr. Patel has vast knowledge and experience in the application of scientific assessments to improve athletic performance and reduce injuries. He received his bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences, a master’s degree in exercise science and a PhD in kinesiology with specializations in anatomy and sport biomechanics from Auburn University. While at Auburn, he worked closely with the athletics department’s strength and conditioning staff as well as several varsity athletic teams as a sport biomechanics consultant.

An expert in the field, Dr. Patel is a sought-after guest lecturer and publisher and has worked with professional and Olympic-level athletes. He also has served as a personal trainer for almost a decade, a mixed martial arts and tae kwon do instructor, an instructor of biomechanics and an instructor of anatomy and strength and conditioning. Dr. Patel holds certifications including Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association; Corrective Exercise Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine; and Functional Movement Screening certified through Functional Movement Systems.