Dr. Jason A. Davis '00 fulfills passion of serving others through orthopedics
by Dr. Kalie Lowrie ’06
U.S. Army Veteran Dr. Jason A. Davis ’00 finds joy as an orthopedic surgeon by providing help to those in pain and paving a way to improve their quality of life.
“It’s extraordinarily rewarding to serve them in that way,” Dr. Davis said. “It’s a job, but also a ministry – to be an ambassador for the Kingdom – when I am engaging people from all walks of life. It is not always just helping heal physical ailments, but also being a light on a hill for some people. It is so satisfying to be able to solve that patient’s problem and hear, ‘You gave me my life back.’”
As one of seven siblings and the first in his family to pursue a four-year degree, Dr. Davis paved his own way to college, though he was not sure of what career path the Lord had in store for him. When he entered Howard Payne University as a freshman, he debated between a future in ministry or medicine. Once he took his basic biology courses, Dr. Davis knew medicine was the direction he wanted to go.
When it came time to apply for medical school, Dr. Davis was unsure of how to prepare for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). He was devastated by his first score but he persevered and tracked down resources to help improve his score the second time. His outstanding GPA aided in his application to medical school and he was accepted into the University of Texas at Houston. He also was accepted into the U.S. Army’s Health Professions Scholarship Program, which provided a scholarship to pay for medical school in exchange for service in the military following his completion of training.
While at HPU, Dr. Davis met his future wife, Heather McAfee ’00. The two were married after graduation in the summer of 2000 and made their home in Houston. The new bride worked to provide for the young couple while pursuing a master’s degree in social work.
After medical school, Dr. Davis was selected for a residency in orthopedic surgery at Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio. He completed his residency in 2009 and was assigned a position as an orthopedic surgeon at Fort Drum in upstate New York. Dr. Davis enjoyed the assignment and found the people and location to be a wonderful fit for their growing family. His younger son, Jayden, was born in New York, joining big brother Micah. While stationed at Fort Drum, Dr. Davis was deployed to Iraq for four months near the end of the war.
In 2013, Dr. Davis was honorably discharged from the Army at the rank of Major and moved his family to Denver, where he was accepted into a program at the University of Colorado for a one-year fellowship in hip and knee replacement. After completing the fellowship, the Davis family returned to Texas where Dr. Davis joined a practice south of Dallas. He faced a difficult first year in civilian practice, with unexpected trials and hardships. Through these painful experiences, he learned failure and humility, and grew in his dependence on the Lord. He then joined a small orthopedic practice in Plano until a new practice opportunity providentially came along three years later. Dr. Davis now serves as a fellowship-trained, board-certified orthopedic surgeon at Total Orthopedics Sports and Spine. The practice has locations in McKinney and Allen, with another location opening soon in Richardson. He also serves as the medical director at Methodist McKinney Hospital, as well as chair of the Medical Executive Committee and chair of the Total Joint Program.
Dr. Davis makes time to give back to his alma mater where he serves on the Scholarship Committee of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. Last spring, he took time to meet with three biology students and Dr. Kristen Hutchins, professor of biology and chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, to help the students prepare for medical school and the MCAT, and have a realistic picture of a career in medicine. He has worked with Dr. Hutchins to develop internship opportunities for students and, during summer 2021, had his first HPU biology student intern with him at his practice, where she was able to shadow him in clinic and observe surgery.
Dr. Davis loved his experience at HPU, from the material taught to field trips and the relationships he built with his professors.
“The professors knew you, knew your name and were invested in you,” he recalled.
He looks forward to investing in HPU students in the years to come by hosting interns from HPU at his practice and finding other ways to give back.
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