The UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) is pleased to welcome David Berry, D.O., and Nelson Santos Agosto, D.O., as assistant professors. Both physicians completed their residency training at UAB PM&R and served as chief residents, reflecting the department's commitment to developing future leaders in rehabilitation medicine.
David Berry, D.O.
Berry joins the department with expertise in stroke rehabilitation, spasticity management, and electrodiagnostic medicine. A Michigan native, he earned a bachelor's degree in cognitive and computational neuroscience from Michigan State University and received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree and Master of Biomedical Professions from Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine.
After completing an internal medicine internship at Brookwood Baptist Health, Berry completed his PM&R residency at UAB, where he served as administrative chief resident.
Berry provides care across multiple clinical settings, including inpatient rehabilitation, hospital consultation services, and electrodiagnostic testing. His clinical focus centers on helping patients maximize function and independence through individualized, patient-centered care. His research interests include spasticity management using botulinum toxin and nonpharmacologic pain treatments, including manual medicine techniques and dry needling.
Outside of medicine, he enjoys hiking, reading classical literature, and spending time with his wife.
Nelson Santos Agosto, D.O.
Santos Agosto specializes in nonoperative orthopaedic care including sports medicine, musculoskeletal medicine and interventional spine. He evaluates and treats a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, utilizing evidence-based and image-guided procedures to improve function, reduce pain, and enhance quality of life.
A graduate of the UAB PM&R residency program, Santos Agosto served as education chief resident and became the department's first graduate of the Interventional Spine and Musculoskeletal Medicine Fellowship. He completed the fellowship at UAB in 2026 after completing a Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship at Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center and the American Sports Medicine Institute.
Santos Agosto earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and a master's degree in sports and exercise science from the University of Central Florida. His academic interests include ultrasound guided intervention, sports medicine, spine interventions, and resident education.
During his training, he received several honors, including the Chi-Tsou Huang Clinical Excellence Award, the Matthew T. Smith Humanism in Medicine Award, and the Outstanding PGY-2 Award. Fluent in English and Spanish, he is committed to delivering exceptional patient care while helping educate the next generation of physiatrists.
When not treating patients, he enjoys sports, playing basketball, and spending time with his wife and two children. In addition, he strives to be a very active member of his church.
The Department of PM&R looks forward to the contributions Berry and Santos Agosto will make as educators, researchers, and clinicians while advancing the department's mission of providing exceptional rehabilitation care to patients across Alabama and beyond.