Samuel Carlton Polk III, M.D., a native Memphian, was born and reared by two Memphis educators. Dr. Polk is a board-certified Physiatrist with subspecialty board certification in Pain Medicine by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and he is also board certified by the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners.

Dr. Polk attended “The High School” (Memphis Central High), Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, and earned his Doctorate of Medicine from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. He completed his internship in Internal Medicine at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. His residency training was done at Case Western Reserve University/MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. After completion of his residency, he entered and completed a multidisciplinary Interventional Pain fellowship in Anesthesiology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Dr. Polk has been in practice at Semmes Murphey since 2006 and was the recipient of the Patients Choice Award in 2014.

As a Pain Physiatrist with expertise in Spine (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar), Peripheral Joint Disease, and Neuro-musculoskeletal Disorders, Dr. Polk’s clinical skills include diagnosing, managing, and treating patients with a meticulous physical exam, comprehensive neuro-diagnostic analysis, physical therapy, peripheral joint injections, spinal and epidural blocks/injections, radiofrequency lesioning, and spinal cord stimulation/neuromodulation. In summary, this allows Dr. Polk to provide professional and dedicated medical services with the goal of improving the care of patients with diverse painful conditions in a comprehensive Interventional Pain Management practice.