Dr. Alford was born and raised in Philadephia, PA. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Amherst College, where he was a varsity squash player for 4 years, and was inducted into the Sigma Xi research honor society for his published undergraduate thesis work. Conducting part of his research in Madrid, Spain gained him fluency in Spanish. Dr. Alford then received his medical degree and general orthopedic training at Brown University, where he received the Haffenreffer Research Fellowship award for his original research in sports medicine, and completed an orthopedic trauma fellowship.

He completed a second fellowship in shoulder reconstruction and sports medicine at Rush University in Chicago, Illinois and was a team physician for the Chicago White Sox. With a background in general orthopedics and orthopedic trauma, Dr. Alford has advanced training in shoulder and sports medicine injuries, specifically all-arthroscopic shoulder repairs, ligament reconstruction of the knee, and cartilage restoration / transplantation.