Christopher Bates, MD

Dr. Christopher M. Bates practices with The Hand to Shoulder Center in Fort Worth and Weatherford, where he shares his expertise and specializes in hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow surgery.

Dr. Bates grew up in Orange County, California until high school when he moved to a rural Southeastern Washington town called Walla Walla. His educational journey has taken him all across the country, from undergraduate at Washington State University, obtaining degrees in both Physics and Biochemistry, to medical school at Wake Forest School of Medicine in North Carolina, to Orthopedic Surgery residency at John Peter Smith in Fort Worth, Texas, and finally to Hand Surgery fellowship in Cincinnati, Ohio with Dr Peter J. Stern.

“Hands are how we interact with the world,” says Dr. Bates, explaining why he was drawn to the field of hand surgery.  “I love helping patients get back to life by alleviating their numbness, stopping fingers from getting stuck and triggering, and straightening contracted fingers so they can shake someone’s hand.” 

Dr. Bates specializes in procedures done in the office with local anesthesia, which provide his patients successful outcomes without the risk of general anesthesia.  Highly specialized in both education and current practice, Dr. Bates practices evidence-based surgery and value-based care.  “I recommend surgery only if I would do the same in your shoes,” he says. 

Dr. Bates is married to his lovely wife Layla, and they have one daughter. During their five years in Fort Worth, he and his wife have fallen in love with the location and the people.