Christopher Gaunder, MD

A co-founder of FINISH Performance Health, Dr. Chris Gaunder brings orthopedic surgical perspective to the founding table, which means the conservative-first standard here was set with a surgeon in the room. He is board certified in orthopedic surgery and a proud University of Georgia alumnus: a Biology major who lettered in football on the 2005 SEC Championship team before earning his medical degree at Mercer University and completing orthopedic surgery residency at Brooke Army Medical Center. He served ten years as a Major in the United States Air Force.

His path to FINISH runs back to those same playing days at Georgia, and to the clinician who treated him there. Decades later, that relationship brought him home to Athens as a co-founder of this organization, where he also directs the FINISH Longevity pillar.

Dr. Gaunder’s surgical practice is separate and independent of FINISH Performance Health. He does not see or treat patients through DirectOrtho+, and provides no orthopedic clinical care, surgical services or patient consultation here. His contribution is at the founding and strategic level, including direction of the FINISH Longevity pillar.