BIOGRAPHY
Dr. David Chism is a board-certified medical oncologist and accomplished physician executive with experience leading oncology programs, clinical research initiatives, and multidisciplinary teams. His career combines patient care, clinical research, medical education, physician engagement, and national oncology leadership.
Dr. Chism currently practices as a Hematology/Oncology Physician with Tennessee Oncology, LLC at Alcoa. His career spans academic medicine, community-based oncology, clinical research leadership, and multidisciplinary cancer care, giving him a broad perspective on both the treatment of individual patients and the systems through which cancer care is delivered.
Previously, Dr. Chism served for more than five years as Medical Director of Clinical Research at Thompson Cancer Survival Center. In this role, he led professionals responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating oncology clinical trials and correlative science studies, while providing medical direction, program strategy, and oversight. His leadership emphasized research quality, patient safety, and compliance with regulatory and ethical standards.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Chism served as an Assistant Professor of Hematology/Oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. At Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, he chaired the genitourinary multidisciplinary clinic, coordinating expertise across medical oncology, radiation oncology, urologic oncology, pathology, radiology, and supportive care to help provide a collaborative approach to complex cancer treatment.
His experience also includes clinical positions at Wesley Long Cancer Center and the University of North Carolina. Together, these roles have shaped a career grounded in direct patient care, clinical investigation, informed decision-making, and collaboration across disciplines.
Year
Expertise
Institution
May 2025 – Present
Hematology/ Oncology Physician
Tennessee Oncology, LLC at Alcoa
January 2020 – December 2024
Medical Director of Clinical Research
Thompson Cancer Survival Center, Knoxville, TN
January 2019 – December 2024
Hematology/ Oncology Physician
Thompson Cancer Survival Center, Knoxville, TN
January 2019 – December 2019
Hematology/ Oncology Locum Tenens
Thompson Survival Cancer Center
January 2016 – January 2019
Assistant Professor, Hematology/ Oncology
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
May 2014 – December 2015
Medical Oncologist
Wesley Long Cancer Center, Greensboro, NC
January 2012 – June 2014
Hospitalist (part-time during fellowship)
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Dr. Chism’s commitment to advancing oncology extends beyond clinical practice. He completed the American Society of Clinical Oncology Leadership Development Program and has held national leadership and committee roles addressing cancer care delivery, clinical standards, research, and the future of the oncology profession.
His service to ASCO includes chairing its Health Services Research Committee and contributing to the Cancer Care Impact Committee. He has also served on the American Board of Internal Medicine’s Medical Oncology Item Writing Committee, helping support the professional standards used to assess knowledge within the specialty.
At Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Dr. Chism contributed to both the Scientific Review Committee and the Institutional Biosafety Committee for human-subject research. His additional professional service has included participation on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network panel for testicular cancer and in the Renal Cell Clinical Trial Consortium.
Dr. Chism has also contributed to the field through professional societies, journal peer review, institutional leadership, and volunteer service. His peer-review experience spans publications in oncology, urology, and clinical investigation, while his community involvement has included the University of Tennessee Chancellors’ Associates and the annual BCAN Nashville Walk-a-thon planning committee.
Professional Societies
January 2014 – present
American Society of Clinical Oncology, Member
January 2015 – present
NRG Member
Organizational Activities
May 2025 – May 2026
Chair, Health Sciences Research, ASCO
May 2024 – May 2026
Member, Cancer Impact Committee, ASCO
January 2024 -present
Member of Item Writing Committee, ABIM Medical oncology board
Journal Peer Review Activities
January 2017
Bladder Cancer, Ad Hoc Peer Review
January 2017
Urology, Ad Hoc Peer Review
January 2017
Urologic Oncology: Seminar and Original Investigations, Ad Hoc Peer Review
January 2016
Oncotarget, Ad Hoc Peer Review
January 2016
Journal of Clinical Investigations, Ad Hoc Peer Review
Institutional Committee Activities
January 2017 – January 2019
Member, Scientific Review Committee, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC)
January 2017 – January 2019
Member, Institutional Biosafety Committee – Human Subjects, VICC
January 2017 – January 2019
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) panel member for testicular cancer
January 2017 – January 2019
Renal Cell Clinical Trial Consortium
Volunteer Service
May 2022 – May 2026
ASCO Cancer Care Impact Committee member
May 2021 – May 2024
University of Tennessee Chancellors’ Associate member
May 2017 – May 2020
Annual BCAN Nashville Walk-a-thon planning committee organizer
Education
Year
Degree
Institution
September 2004 – June 2008
M.D.
University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, TN
August 2002 – June 2003
M.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology
Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
August 1993 – May 1997
B.A. in Psychology
Georgetown University, Washington, DC
August 1998 – June 2001
Post-baccalaureate (Pre-medicine)
Harvard University Extension School, Cambridge, MA
June 1997 – June 1998
NIH/NIDA Predoctoral Fellow
Washington, DC
July 2008 – June 2011
Internship/ Residency in Internal Medicine
UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ
July 2011 – June 2014
Fellowship in Hematology-Oncology
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Certifications
Year
Certificate
December 2011 (active)
Board Certification in Internal Medicine
December 2014 (active)
Board Certification in Medical Oncology
exp. November 2026
Licensure – Active: Tennessee
exp. December 2026
ACLS Certification
Awards and Honors
Year
Awards and Honors
—
ASCO Ambassador
202-26
Best in Tennessee Magazine Doctors – Excellence in Oncology
2021-2026
Castle Connolly Top Doctors for Medical Oncology
2022
ASCO Leadership Development Program
2017
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Star Award
2014
John William Pope Clinical Fellow Clinical/Translational Cancer Research Award
2014
American Society of Clinical Oncology Merit Award
