Dr. Jie (Jay) Chen grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He went to Duke University for undergraduate studies and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for his medical education. In medical school, Dr. Chen decided to pursue a career in orthopaedic surgery because of the tremendous satisfaction associated with returning patients back to their baseline functionality. He also obtained a Master of Public Health degree to better understand disease at the population level and also to further develop his research abilities. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas where he fell in love with the culture and people of Texas. While in residency, he won numerous awards including the departmental nominations for intern and overall outstanding resident of the year, a resident teaching award, and several research awards.

Following residency graduation, Dr. Chen returned to Duke University where he completed a fellowship in orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgery. He trained under the guidance of Dr. Mark Easley, Dr. James Nunley II, Dr. James DeOrio, Dr. Samuel Adams, Dr. Selene Parekh, Dr. Annunziato Amendola, and Dr. Karl Schweitzer. He has advanced training in total ankle replacement, complex mid and hindfoot reconstruction, bunion correction including minimally invasive techniques, ankle arthroscopy, and ligament and tendon tears. At Duke University, he became well-versed in 3D-printed solutions for complex salvage situations and also performed around 100 total ankle replacement procedures. He also was involved in over a dozen research projects and book chapters. During fellowship training, he found himself desiring to return to Texas and so decided to join the University of Texas medical Branch as an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery specializing in Foot and Ankle Surgery.

Dr. Chen's philosophy is to develop a thorough understanding of a patient's goals and individual situation so that together, a shared treatment plan can be developed and executed. Dr. Chen believes in minimizing harm while maximizing the chances of success and thus, surgery is just one of several possible treatments that can be utilized. He is well versed in all conditions of the foot and ankle and also in the repair of broken bones throughout the body. He is a member of numerous professional societies including the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Orthopaedic Association Emerging Leaders Program, and the Texas Orthopaedic Association. He has over 50 publications, book chapters, and presentations given at local, regional, and national conferences.