Shannon Smith Hamilton, M.D., FAAPMR

ElevateMeD Board Member

Dr. Shannon Smith was born in Philadelphia, PA, the only child of two teachers. The value of hard work, education and community service were instilled in her at an early age. She attended nationally ranked Julia R. Masterman High School and consistently volunteered at many local organizations.

Dr. Smith attended Spelman College in Atlanta GA and graduated with honors with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology. She subsequently obtained her Medical Degree from Temple University School of Medicine and was the recipient of the Outstanding Community Service Award.

After medical school, she attended The University of Tennessee for her internship and then Emory University for a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency. Her first job post-residency was becoming the Medical Director of the Pediatric Inpatient Rehab Unit at The University of Mississippi Medical Center, where she helped the unit obtain a specialized pediatric brain injury certification, 1 of 6 facilities in the nation with such distinction at that time. She became active in Brain Injury Awareness, Car Seat Safety and ATV Legislation on the state level.

Dr. Smith is currently in Atlanta, GA where she serves as Medical Director for Inpatient Rehab at Emory Decatur Hospital. She is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Brain Injury Medicine and a fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She continues to feel obligated to serve, and has returned to Spelman’s campus to mentor pre-med students. She also gives community health care presentations to local nursing homes and senior facilities.

She is the matriarch of her very busy and active family, which includes her anesthesiologist husband, Dr. Eric Hamilton, two awesome children, Alexa and Joseph, and a boxer Tyson.