James W. Bryan IV, M.D. Sports Medicine Specialist

Clinical Biography

James Bryan, IV, M.D., FAMSSM, FAAFP, is a sports medicine physician and assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).  He joined UAMS in 2024 after a thirteen-year assignment as a civilian contractor at the Little Rock Air Force Base Flight and Operational Medicine Clinic.

A native of North Little Rock, Dr. Bryan graduated from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas.  He completed medical school followed by a Family Medicine Residency at UAMS. He became the first UAMS graduate to complete a fellowship in Sports Medicine, training at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Tulsa. He was among the first physicians in Arkansas to become board certified in sports medicine. An early member of the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine, he was elected AMSSM Fellow in its first class of merit-based members in January 2020. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and maintains additional board certification in family medicine.

Dr. Bryan first entered private practice in Little Rock in 1994, serving as team physician for several Pulaski County Schools, the Arkansas Travelers baseball club, and at Henderson State University, where he has been a team physician for over twenty years.

Dr. Bryan’s clinical interests are broad, encompassing the diagnosis and treatment of both musculoskeletal conditions and general medical conditions in athletes and individuals seeking physical fitness. He emphasizes a collaborative approach, working closely with certified athletic trainers, physical therapists, and each patient’s personal physician to coordinate comprehensive care. He serves on the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee of the Arkansas Activities Association, championing sport safety and education for secondary school athletes. For his dedication, he received the Arkansas Award for Outstanding Service from the National Federation of High School Associations. 

Dr. Bryan also serves the Arkansas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol as its Medical Officer. He is a search and rescue pilot for CAP and a FAA Senior Aviation Medical Examiner for pilots and air traffic controllers locally. He was named the 2021 Arkansas Wing Member of the Year and received the Commander’s Commendation Award in 2022.

Jim is married to Ann Ballard Bryan (UAMS College of Pharmacy, 1987). The Bryans reside in Little Rock’s Historic Quapaw Quarter and are advocates for historic preservation in the area.