Dr. Jason Rodney Susong MD

About Dr. Jason Susong, MD, FAAD, FACMS

Dr. Jason Susong is a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs Micrographic Surgeon as well as one of the few dermatologists in the Chattanooga area to complete a fellowship in Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology (from Cleveland Clinic).

Dr. Jason Susong grew up in the Chattanooga area, and attended the McCallie School. He then attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville where he earned a degree in Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology. While there he performed research in radiopharmaceutical chemistry, helped develop a new way to manufacture a drug used for cancer imaging, and also performed research on vitronectin, a human plasma protein. He also developed an affinity for the proper color of Volunteer orange.

In 2004, he joined the United States Air Force, and has since been serving his country in the medical field. He received his MD from the University of Tennessee in 2008, and completed an internship in General Surgery at Oregon Health and Sciences University where he was fortunate to learn from some wonderful caring physicians in a variety of specialties. He then spent three years as a Flight Surgeon at Scott Air Force Base providing primary care to aircrew and their families.

During that time, he deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he provided ground and inflight medical care to over 500 injured US and NATO service members from 33 different countries (and military working dogs!), and has spent 98 combat hours in the C-130 Hercules visiting every major airfield in Afghanistan on missions to bring our wounded warriors safely back home.

He then attended dermatology residency in the Air Force at the combined Wilford Hall and Brooke Army Medical Center, in San Antonio Texas. To date, he has published eight articles in peer-reviewed journals and has been the primary investigator in three IRB-approved research studies. He was stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Destin, Florida, for three years where he served as Chief of Dermatology, providing inpatient, outpatient, medical, surgical, pediatric, and laser dermatologic services. He also taught as an Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Family Medicine with the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences to military resident physicians.

Following a 15 year career in the military, he decided to add to his dermatology training by a fellowship position at the Cleveland Clinic in (Mohs) Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology. He had the opportunity to train at one of the highest ranked hospitals in the nation, learning Mohs micrographic surgery from leaders in the field, as well as complex reconstructive techniques from a variety of faculty in complimentary surgical disciplines. In addition, he was active in management of complex cutaneous malignancies in advanced stages of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers (including many rare skin cancers). Dr. Susong recalls, “My fellowship training at Cleveland Clinic was a wonderful opportunity to work with leaders in a variety of disciplines, including dermatologic surgery. We approached each patient as a unique opportunity to bring to bear the best diagnostic and therapeutic options available for that individual – including surgical, medical, and radiation therapy. My time there gave me broad experience with a variety of viewpoints in management of some of the most complex skin tumors and medical issues, and I look forward to bringing this experience back to my hometown of Chattanooga.”

He has been married for 14 years to the beautiful Dr. Becca Susong, who is a pediatrician and also native Chattanoogan. Their three young children complain about wearing sunscreen, but they don’t have much of a choice! He is an instrument rated pilot, and enjoys running, playing guitar and piano, and likes exploring new restaurants when he gets a babysitter and a date with his wife from time to time.

He is taking new patients and friendly old ones, and asks that you dress in loose clothing when you come in as most of the skin cancers we find are not the thing that brought you into the office! He likes zinc-based sunscreen, nice people, and fish that bite. Most of all, he likes helping people with dermatologic issues, and looks forward to meeting you at an upcoming appointment soon.