Dr. Ethan Kellum is a sports medicine fellowship–trained orthopedic surgeon and regenerative medicine expert specializing in stem cell therapy. That operating-room training is why he starts with whether surgery is necessary at all—and why interventional and regenerative orthopedics are the focus of his Nashville practice.
Although Dr. Kellum still performs arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder and knee, his main focus is regenerative medicine, including bone marrow (stem cells), adipose (fat) tissue, and platelet-rich plasma, along with other regenerative medicine options, with the goal of keeping appropriate patients out of the operating room.
“Treat and care for the whole patient—history, function, and goals—not only the painful joint.”
Training and professional experience
A native of Henderson, Tennessee, Dr. Kellum attended Jackson Christian School and Freed-Hardeman University before earning his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine in Memphis.
After an orthopedic surgery residency at the Medical College of Georgia, he completed a surgical fellowship in sports medicine, shoulder, and advanced arthroscopy at New England Baptist Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital. During his fellowship he served as assistant team physician for the Boston Celtics and for Harvard and Tufts University athletics.
Research and recognition
Dr. Kellum is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, the world’s only medical honors society, and has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed orthopedic surgery articles and book chapters.
A whole-person philosophy
Beyond his credentials, Dr. Kellum is an orthopedic surgeon who makes time to listen. He works to build durable function through regenerative orthopedics, nutrition, exercise, and complementary medicine—so you leave with a clearer understanding of your options.