Joy Chen, M.D.

Biography

Joy Chen, M.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Her clinical expertise includes anesthesia for patients with obesity, bariatric anesthesia, trauma anesthesia, and critical care medicine. Her academic work focuses on ICU liberation, organizational psychology, quality improvement, and medical education.

Dr. Chen earned her medical degree at UT Southwestern Medical School. She completed a residency in anesthesiology and pain management and a fellowship in critical care medicine at UT Southwestern. Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology in both anesthesiology and critical care medicine, she joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2015.

From 2019 to 2026, Dr. Chen served as Medical Director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit and Co-Medical Director of the Thoracic Intensive Care Unit at the Veterans Affairs North Texas Health Care System, where she led multidisciplinary initiatives focused on quality improvement, patient safety, resident education, and ICU care delivery.

She is actively involved in several national professional organizations, including the Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists, for which she serves as Chair of the Quality and Safety Subcommittee, Vice Chair of the Women in Critical Care Committee, and Vice Chair of the Mentorship Subcommittee. She also serves on the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Committees on Critical Care Medicine, Young Physicians, and Physician Well-Being, and she is a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine ICU Liberation Committee. In addition, she serves as an American Board of Anesthesiology Oral Board Examiner.

Dr. Chen has delivered invited national and international presentations on anesthesia for patients with obesity, bariatric anesthesia, trauma anesthesia, ICU liberation, physician leadership, and organizational psychology. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, review articles, and textbook chapters related to her areas of expertise, and she serves as an ad hoc reviewer for peer-reviewed medical journals.

In 2025, she received a Presidential Citation from the Society of Critical Care Medicine in recognition of her national contributions to the specialty.

Personal Note

When she's not at work, Dr. Chen enjoys traveling with her family, staying active with a focus on health and longevity, and creating handmade baby gifts and scrub caps for family, friends, and colleagues.