Faculty Profile
Dr. Asif is the Vice Chair of Academics and Research, as well as, the Sports Medicine Fellowship
Director in the GHS Department of Family Medicine and is certified in both family medicine and
sports medicine. He has served as a team physician for all levels of athletics, including high school,
collegiate, and professional sports programs. He is also the Associate Editor for Sports Health: A
Multidisciplinary Approach.
He is a dedicated member of AMSSM and has provided service on the Research, Fellowship, Public
Relations, and Annual Meeting Program Planning (Program Chair 2014-2015) Committees. His
research has earned honors within sports medicine (2010 AMSSM Best Overall Research Award,
2011 Harry L. Galanty Young Investigators Award) and primary care as a whole (2014 UT GSM
Excellence & Leadership in Clinical Research, 2012 Society of Teachers for Family Medicine Best
Overall Research Paper). Current investigations explore several domains within sports cardiology,
such as the epidemiology of sudden cardiac death in high school and collegiate athletes, a prospective
multi-site ECG screening study across all three NCAA divisions, and understanding the psychological
impact of cardiovascular screening in young athletes. These scientific contributions have been
highlighted internationally during invited lectures to the Spanish Olympic Committee in 2012, the
2014 International Olympic Committee World Conference on the Prevention of Injury & Illness in
Sport, and a special seminar on Exercise as Medicine in Sydney, Australia. Dr. Asif was also selected
for the 1st AMSSM Traveling Fellowship Program (2014) and recently completed a tour of the high
level and Olympic sports programs in Australia.
As a teacher, Dr. Asif is committed to education and has been awarded the STFM Resident Teaching
Award (2010) and the University of Tennessee Faculty Teaching Award (2012). He currently serves
as the chair of the AMSSM Sports Medicine In-Service Training Exam (ITE) subcommittee, which
writes the ITE yearly to prepare sports medicine physicians to pass the Sports Medicine CAQ Exam.
Aside from typical orthopedic conditions, such as knee and shoulder injuries, he enjoys caring for
medical conditions in athletes and physically active individuals such as sports concussions, cardiac
arrest, heat illness, and many others. He is proficient in musculoskeletal ultrasound and many new
treatment modalities in sports medicine.
AWARDS AND HONORS
 AMSSM Young Investigator’s Research Award
2015
“Examining Vulnerable Collegiate Athletic Populations for Silent Injury: The
Psychological Impact of Cardiovascular Screening”
 AMSSM Traveling Fellowship Award: Australia
2014
 University of Tennessee (UT) Graduate School of Medicine Excellence 2014
and Leadership in Clinical Research Award
 AMSSM Young Investigator’s Research Award
2014
“Psychological Implications of Advanced Cardiac Screening: Examining Differences
Based on Age, Race, Gender, and Sport”
 AMSSM Young Investigator’s Research Award
2013
“The Psychological Impact of Screening for Sudden Cardiac Death: The Experience
of Being Diagnosed with Lethal Disease”
 University of Tennessee (UT) Faculty Teaching Award
2012
University Family Physicians, UT Graduate School of Medicine
 Best Overall Research Paper Award, Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
(STFM) “Incidence and Etiology of Sudden Death in National Collegiate Athletic
Association Athletes” by Harmon KG,MD, Asif I, MD, David Klossner PhD,
ATC and Drezner JA, MD. Seattle, WA.
 Harry L. Galanty Young Investigator’s Research Award
2012
2012
American Medical Society for Sports Medicine 21 st Annual Meeting
“Cardiovascular Screening in Young Athletes: A Prospective Study Comparing
the PPE Monograph 4th Edition and Electrocardiogram” by Jessie Fudge, MD,
Jonathan Drezner, MD, Kimberly Harmon, MD, David Owens, MD, Jordan
Prutkin, MD, MHS, Irfan M. Asif, MD, Alison Haruta, MD, Hank Pelto, MD,
Ashwin Rao, MD, and Jack Salerno, MD. Atlanta, GA.
 AMSSM-NATA Research Exchange Lecture, National Athletic Trainer’s
2011
Association Distinguished Scholars Exchange Presentation, ECG Interpretation in
Competitive Athletes: Where Are We Now? by Irfan M. Asif, MD, Jon
Drezner, MD Robyn Fean, MD, Kim Harmon, MD, David Owens, MD
Jordan Prutkin, MD, Ashwin Rao, MD, Jack Salerno, MD, Karen Stout, MD.
NATA 62nd Annual Meeting New Orleans, LA.
 Harry L. Galanty Young Investigator’s Research Award, American Medical
Society of Sports Medicine 20th Annual Meeting. “Accuracy of ECG
Interpretation in Competitive Athletes” by Irfan M. Asif, MD, Jon
Drezner, MD Robyn Fean, MD, Kim Harmon, MD, David Owens, MD
Jordan Prutkin, MD, Ashwin Rao, MD, Jack Salerno, MD, Karen Stout, MD.
Salt Lake City, UT.
 Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Resident Teaching Award
University of Washington, Department of Family Medicine
 AMSSM-NATA Research Exchange Lecture, National Athletic Trainer’s
2010
Association Distinguished Scholars Exchange Presentation, “Incidence
and Etiology of Sudden Death in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Athletes” by Irfan M. Asif, MD, Kimberly Harmon, MD, Jon
Drezner, MD, David Klossner, ATC, PhD. NATA 61st Annual Meeting,
Philadelphia, PA.
 Best Overall Research Award, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
19th Annual Meeting. “Incidence and Etiology of Sudden Death in National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Athletes” by Irfan M. Asif, MD,
Kimberly Harmon, MD, Jon Drezner, MD, David Klossner, ATC, PhD.
Cancun, Mexico.
2011
2010
2010
PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
1. Asif IM, Prutkin JM. Modern standards of ECG interpretation in young athletes: Yield and
effectiveness. J Electrocardiol. 2014 Dec 23.
2. Lawless CE, Asplund C, Asif IM, Courson R, Emery MS, Fuisz A, Kovacs RJ, Lawrence SM,
Levine BD, Link MS, Martinez MW, Matherne GP, Olshansky B, Roberts WO, Salberg L, Vetter
VL, Vogel RA, Whitehead J. Protecting the Heart of the American Athlete: Proceedings of the
American College of Cardiology Sports and Exercise Cardiology Think Tank October 18,
2012, Washington, DC. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014 Nov 18;64(20):2146-71.
3. Asif IM, Johnson S, Schmieg J, Smith T, Rao AL, Harmon KG, Salerno JC, Drezner JA. The
psychological impact of cardiovascular screening: the athlete's perspective. Br J Sports Med.
2014 Aug;48(15):1162-6.
4. Fudge J, Harmon KG, Owens DS, Prutkin JM, Salerno JC, Asif IM, Haruta A, Pelto H, Rao AL,
Toresdahl BG, Drezner JA. Cardiovascular screening in adolescents and young adults: a
prospective study comparing the Pre-participation Physical Evaluation Monograph 4th
Edition and ECG. Br J Sports Med. 2014 Aug;48(15):1172-8.
5. Exeter DJ, Elley CR, Fulcher ML, Lee AC, Drezner JA, and Asif IM. Standardised criteria
improve accuracy of ECG interpretation in competitive athletes: a randomised controlled
trial. Br J Sports Med Aug;48(15):1167-71.
6. Asif IM, Price D, Harmon KG, Salerno J, Rao AL, Drezner JA. The Psychological Impact of
Cardiovascular Screening in Young Athletes: Perspectives Across Age, Race, and Gender.
Accepted in Clin J of Sports Med.
7. Terrell TR, Nobles T, Rader B, Bielak K, Asif I, Casmus R, Yeager J, Hussein R. Sports
concussion management: part I. South Med J. 2014 Feb;107(2):115-25.
8. Harmon KG, Drezner JA, Maleszeski JJ, Anderson ML, Owens D, Prutkin JA, Asif IM, Klossner
D, Ackerman MJ. Etiologies of Sudden Cardiac Death in National Collegiate Athletic
Association Athletes. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2014 Mar 1.
9. Vitulano, M. L., Fite, P. J., Hopko, D. R., Lochman, J., Wells, K., & Asif, I. Evaluation of
Underlying Mechanisms in the Link between Childhood ADHD Symptoms and Risk for Early
Initiation of Substance Use. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 2014.
10. Price DE, McWilliams A, Asif IM, Martin A, Elliott SD, Dulin M, Drezner JA.
Electrocardiography-Inclusive Screening Strategies for the Detection of Cardiovascular
Abnormalities in High School Athletes. Heart Rhythm. 2013, Dec 4.
11. Rao AL, Salerno JC, Asif IM, Drezner JA. Evaluation and Management of Wolff-Parkinson
White in Athletes. Sports Health: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach. 2014, Jul;6(4):326-32.
12. Asif, IM, Harmon KG, Klossner D. Travel-Related Deaths: The Leading Cause of Sudden Death
in National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletes from 2004-2008. Clin J Sport Med. 2013
Nov;23(6):439-43.
13. Asif, IM and Drezner JA. Detecting Occult Cardiac Disease in Athletes: History that Makes a
Difference. Br J Sports Med. 2013 Jul;47(11):669.
14. Asif, IM, Rao AL, and Drezner JA. Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Athletes: What is the Role
of Screening? Curr Opin Cardiol. 2013 Jan;28(1):55-62.
15. Asplund, C, Asif, IM. Cardiovascular Pre-Participation Screening Practices of College Team
Physicians. Clin J Sport Med. 2014 Jul;24(4):275-9.
16. Rao AL, Asif IM, and Drezner JA. Secondary Prevention of Sudden Death in Athletes: the
Essential Role of Automated External Defibrillators. Card Electrophysiol Clin; 5 (1), 23-31,
2013.
17. Xia, H, Asif, IM, and Zhao X. Cloud-ECG for Real Time ECG Monitoring and Analysis. Comput
Methods Programs Biomed. 2012 Dec 19.
18. Harmon KG, Drezner JA, Klossner D, Asif IM. Sickle Cell Trait Associated with a RR of Death
of 37 Times in National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Athletes: a Database with 2
Million Athlete-Years as the Denominator. Br J Sports Med 2012; 46:325-330.
19. Asif I, IM, Drezner, JA. Sudden Cardiac Death and Preparticipation Screening: The Debate
Continues - In Support of ECG-Inclusive Pre-participation Screening. Progress in
Cardiovascular Disease. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2012 Mar;54(5):445-50.
20. Drezner JA, Asif IM, Owens DS, Prutkin JM, Salerno JC, Fean R, Rao AL, Stout K, Harmon KG.
Accuracy of ECG Interpretation in Competitive Athletes: the Impact of Utilizing Standardized
ECG Criteria. Br J Sports Med 2012; 46:335-340.
21. Drezner JA, Asif IM, and Harmon, KG. Automated External Defibrillators and Emergency
Planning for Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Health and Fitness Facilities. Physician and Sports
Medicine. 2011 May; 39(2): 114-118.
22. Harmon KG,MD, Asif I, MD, David Klossner PhD, ATC and Drezner JA, MD. Response to Letter
Regarding Article “Incidence and Etiology of Sudden Death in National Collegiate Athletic
Association Athletes”. Circulation, 2011; 124:e486.
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/124/18/e486 .
23. Harmon KG,MD, Asif I, MD, David Klossner PhD, ATC and Drezner JA, MD. Incidence and
Etiology of Sudden Death in National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletes. Circulation,
2011 April 19; 123 (15): 1594-1600.
24. Asif I, MD, Harmon KG, MD, O’Kane JW, MD, and Drezner, JA, MD. Cerebral
microhemorrhages in a collegiate football player: clinical implications in the management of
sports concussion. Sports Health. 2010 Sep;2(5):391-4.
25. Asif, I. Complex Concussion. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Case Studies
Teaching Tool. E-publication, amssm.org. September 25, 2010.
26. Rink CM, Mauck MC, Asif I, Pitzer ME, and Fenlon EE: Syntheses of Silatranyl and
Germatranyluridines, Organic Letters, 2005 Vol 7, Number 6, pp 1165-1168
RESEARCH SUPPORT
Asif IM, Drezner JA, Harmon KG. “Examining Vulnerable Collegiate Athletic Populations for Silent
Injury: The Psychological Impact of Cardiovascular Screening”. 2015-2016.
Drezner JA, Asif IM. “Cardiovascular Screening in NCAA Athletes”. National Collegiate Athletic
Association, 2012-2014.
Asif IM, Price D, Drezner JA. “Psychological Implications of Advanced Cardiac Screening: Examining
Differences Based on Age, Race, Gender, and Sport”. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine,
2014.
Webner D, Duprey K, Asif IM, Collina S, Cronholm P, Drezner J, Pearce P, Roberts W. “Surviving
Marathon Sudden Cardiac Arrest: The Long Road Ahead”. American Medical Society for Sports
Medicine, 2014.
Asif, IM, Fisher LA, Zakrajsek RA, Fairbrother JT, Price D, and Drezner JA. “The Psychological Impact
of Screening for Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes: The Experience of Being Diagnosed with Lethal
Disease”. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, 2013.