Chris Bell, MD, FACS

Dr. Bell, board certified through the American Board of Surgery (ABS), specializes in trauma and acute care surgery. Dr. Bell joined University Surgical Associates in 2022.

Dr. Bell is also an assistant professor of surgery, Department of Surgery, for the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Chattanooga.

Dr. Bell also serves as the Medical Director of LIFE FORCE air medical transport program.

Prior to joining USA, Dr. Bell served as a trauma surgeon and the Trauma Medical Director at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, TX from 2018 to 2022. He was a clinical assistant professor at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in El Paso.  During this time, Dr. Bell also served as a Major the U.S. Army. His military experience includes two combat deployments. His first deployment was to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in 2018-2019, where he served as the lead trauma surgeon on a Golden Hour Offset Surgical and Trauma (GHOST) Team. The second deployment was to Syria in 2021 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, where he served as chief medical officer and lead trauma surgeon on the 745th FRST. In addition to his deployments, he served as the commander of the 745th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Team (FRST) from 2020-2021. His awards include Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation medal with C device, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service medal, Afghanistan campaign Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NATO medal and Combat Action Badge.

Dr. Bell is a native Chattanoogan. He attended high school at the McCallie School. He then went on to play college football for one year at University of Tennessee Martin and transferred to University of Mississippi where he finished his Bachelor of Arts degree. He earned his medical degree at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in Memphis and moved back home to Chattanooga to complete surgical residency and critical care fellowship training. He lives in Hixson with his wife and two kids.

Locations and Contact Information

Dr. Bell sees patients at USA Medical Mall (downtown Chattanooga) and USA Dayton. He performs surgery at Erlanger Hospital, Erlanger East Hospital, CHI Memorial Hospital, CHI Memorial Hospital Hixson and Rhea County Medical Center.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Bell, call 423-267-0466.

USA Hernia Center

Dr. Bell offers hernia surgery through the USA Hernia Center. At our hernia center, we offer a collaborative approach to improve the quality of care for hernia patients.

Education

Undergraduate (2002 – 2006)
University of Tennessee at Martin (Martin, TN)
University of Mississippi (Oxford, MS)
Major: Biochemistry/Biology

Medical School (2008 – 2012)
University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center
Memphis, TN

Residency (2012 – 2018)
General Surgery
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Department of Surgery
Chattanooga, TN

Fellowship (Jan 2016 – Dec 2016)
Surgical Critical Care
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Department of Surgery
Chattanooga, TN

Academic Appointments

2022 – present
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Department of Surgery
UT College of Medicine
Chattanooga, TN

Certifications

ATLS director/ instructor

ASSET instructor

PALS

ACLS

BLS

Professional Organizations

American College of Surgeons

Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma

Southeastern Surgical Society

Society of Critical Care Medicine

Gold Humanism Honor Society

Chris Bell, MD, FACS

Dr. Bell, board certified through the American Board of Surgery (ABS), specializes in trauma and acute care surgery. Dr. Bell joined University Surgical Associates in 2022.

Dr. Bell is also an assistant professor of surgery, Department of Surgery, for the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Chattanooga.

Dr. Bell also serves as the Medical Director of the LIFE FORCE air medical transport program.

Prior to joining USA, Dr. Bell served as a trauma surgeon and the Trauma Medical Director at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, TX from 2018 to 2022. He was a clinical assistant professor at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in El Paso.  During this time, Dr. Bell also served as a Major the U.S. Army. His military experience includes two combat deployments. His first deployment was to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in 2018-2019, where he served as the lead trauma surgeon on a Golden Hour Offset Surgical and Trauma (GHOST) Team. The second deployment was to Syria in 2021 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, where he served as chief medical officer and lead trauma surgeon on the 745th FRST. In addition to his deployments, he served as the commander of the 745th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Team (FRST) from 2020-2021. His awards include Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation medal with C device, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service medal, Afghanistan campaign Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NATO medal and Combat Action Badge.
Dr. Bell is a native Chattanoogan. He attended high school at the McCallie School. He then went on to play college football for one year at University of Tennessee Martin and transferred to University of Mississippi where he finished his Bachelor of Arts degree. He earned his medical degree at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in Memphis and moved back home to Chattanooga to complete surgical residency and critical care fellowship training. He lives in Hixson with his wife and two kids.

Locations and Contact Information

Dr. Bell sees patients at USA Medical Mall (downtown Chattanooga) and USA Dayton. He performs surgery at Erlanger Hospital, Erlanger East Hospital, CHI Memorial Hospital, CHI Memorial Hospital Hixson and Rhea County Medical Center.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Bell, call 423-267-0466.

Education

Undergraduate (2002 – 2006)
University of Tennessee at Martin (Martin, TN)
University of Mississippi (Oxford, MS)
Major: Biochemistry/Biology

Medical School (2008 – 2012)
University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center
Memphis, TN

Residency (2012 – 2018)
General Surgery
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Department of Surgery
Chattanooga, TN

Fellowship (Jan 2016 – Dec 2016)
Surgical Critical Care
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Department of Surgery
Chattanooga, TN

Academic Appointments

2022 – present
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Department of Surgery
UT College of Medicine
Chattanooga, TN

Certifications

ATLS director/ instructor

ASSET instructor

PALS

ACLS

BLS

Professional Organizations

American College of Surgeons

Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma

Southeastern Surgical Society

Society of Critical Care Medicine

Gold Humanism Honor Society