Thomas P Branch, M.D. | Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon​

Dr. Branch started his career in 1988 as the Chief of Sports Medicine at Emory Clinic, Director of Orthopaedic Biomechanics and Chief of Orthopaedics at the Atlanta VA Hospital. In 1996 he founded University Orthopaedic Clinic at Dekalb Medical Center and Northside Hospital.

He completed his undergraduate education at Duke University where he graduated magna cum laude with a BA in Mathematics. Following the steps of many doctors in his family and his desire to help people, he continued with medical school at Emory University School of Medicine, residency at the University of Minnesota and Sports Medicine fellowship at the University of Florida where he assisted in the care of women’s sports teams.  He completed course work towards his masters in Mechanical Engineering and published his master thesis in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.

Research & Development

Dr. Branch’s philosophy has always been at the vanguard of research and development in the area of orthopaedics pushing the boundaries to better care for his patients with innovative techniques. He has devoted an enormous amount of time to research. His papers amount to more than 30 published papers and holds approximately 20 pending and published patents. These papers include contributions in nearly every part of the musculoskeletal system. In addition he presents new research, innovations and techniques yearly to orthopedic audiences around the globe. He is well known and regarded both nationally and internationally for his advanced critical thinking and research, which translate into excellent patient care and results.

Innovations

His innovations have been responsible for the rapid return to sport after surgery or injury of hundreds of professional athletes, including Adrian Peterson (Vikings Running Back) and Trent Green (past Quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs). Nearly every professional athletic trainer has heard of the ERMI Knee Extensionater, ERMI Knee Flexionater and ERMI Elbow Extensionater, and uses it to aid their patients in the return of their full knee range of motion.  Motion loss is a critical corner stone of the loss of patient satisfaction after any injury or surgery.  In Dr. Branch’s clinic recovery of full range of motion is a high priority resulting in a high success rate.

He has developed with his Research and Development Team a fully robotic system that slowly and precisely examines the knee.  This system provides insight not available to any other physician.  With the use of the only Robotic Knee Testing System in the world, he is able to diagnose the root cause of injury and/or surgically related issues causing patient dissatisfaction.  The ability to make the correct diagnosis is critical to designing a targeted non-operative and operative treatment plan resulting in the return of full knee function. Patients come to see Dr. Branch in Atlanta from all over the world for help from complications related to surgery or injury with a real hope for full recovery.

Community Service

Besides Head Team Physician at Morehouse College for over 20 years, he has given community service to the entire Atlanta University Center.  It has been an honor to serve the Alma Mater of Martin Luther King.  In addition he has had long term commitments to Agnes Scott College, Oglethorpe College, Dekalb Community College and Emory University Sports Teams.  With a true love of soccer, Dr. Branch has served as Head Team Physician for Atlanta’s Past Professional Womens Soccer Team – The Atlanta Classics, the Emory Soccer Teams, the Agnes Scott Soccer Team, the Oglethorpe Soccer Team as well as multiple high school teams and soccer clubs throughout the Atlanta area.

Medical Professor

In his career he has had the opportunity to teach seven post-graduate fellows, over 50 residents and hundreds of medical students in the art of sports medicine.  He is on the teaching faculty of several medical schools and has continued to enjoy the teaching opportunity.  He has given multiple lectures to practicing orthopedic surgeons at the AAOS Orthopedic Learning Center in Chicago on Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery and Biomechanics.

Family & Personal Life

He owes his wisdom to those that mentored him at Duke University, Emory University, University of Minnesota and University of Florida.  His insuppressible optimism comes from the love of his wife, Carolina, his son and daughter, Jon and Hannah, and from all of his friends.  His strength and conviction for doing “the right thing” was set into place by his grandfather, Paul Fredrick Meyer MD and the dozens of other physicians in his extended family.  He remains grateful for the opportunity to serve others as a healer, friend and mentor.

PUBLICATIONS / PRESENTATIONS / PATENTS

Dr. Branch has researched every part of the muskularskeletar system producing more than 20 published papers, countless presentations all over the world and 12 patents. 

Download published papers — Dr. Branch's published papers on PubMed 

Download research accomplishments — Full list of Dr. Branch's research accomplishments including peer reviewed publications, selected refereed Abstracts/Presentations and research support

Download patents — List of Dr. Branch's patents