Who Is Christopher Duntsch? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Born on April 3, 1971, Christopher Duntsch is currently 54 years old. A once-promising neurosurgeon, Duntsch gained notoriety for performing surgeries that resulted in severe complications and fatalities among his patients. His actions landed him in prison for life after being convicted of multiple counts of aggravated assault and injury to an elderly individual. Details surrounding his medical career and subsequent legal issues can be found on his Wikipedia page.
| Occupation | Physicians |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | April 3, 1971 |
| Age | 54 Years |
| Birth Place | Montana, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Aries |
| Country | U.S |
Popularity
Christopher Duntsch's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
As of 2025, Christopher Duntsch stands at approximately 6 feet tall (183 cm) and weighs around 190 pounds (86 kg). His physical appearance, characterized by his former surgical attire and now prison jumpsuit, has become a part of his public persona. Specific details on his body measurements are less discussed, as his story primarily focuses on his medical career and legal troubles.
* Jerry Summers, a longtime friend of Duntsch, came to Baylor Plano to have two neck vertebrae fused. During the operation, Duntsch botched the removal of a disk, rendering Summers a quadriplegic. He performed a second surgery and packed the space with a large amount of gel foam, constricting the spinal cord.
The anesthesiologist who worked on the surgery recalled that Summers lost almost 1,200 milliliters of blood, more than a fifth of his blood volume and almost twenty-four times the typical amount lost in a spinal fusion.
The nurses and other staffers who took part in the surgery expected Summers to have revision surgery, but Duntsch refused to do it. Summers later stated that he and Duntsch used cocaine the night before his surgery. Although he passed a drug test, Baylor Plano officials were concerned enough to force Duntsch on leave pending a peer review.
While Duntsch was cleared to resume operating while the review was underway, hospital officials requested he limit himself to minor surgeries until it was complete. Summers then admitted the cocaine claim was untrue and said he made it up after being upset that Duntsch refused to check on him.
Summers remained a quadriplegic and died in 2021 of an infection related to complications from Duntsch's operation.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Despite his criminal background, details about Christopher Duntsch's family and personal relationships remain relatively obscure. In the past, reports indicated that he was married; however, his actions significantly impacted his relationships. As of 2025, it is unclear if he is currently in a romantic relationship. The focus has largely shifted to the impact of his career on his family and the lives of those affected by his surgeries rather than on any ongoing relationships.
His father, Donald, was a physical therapist and Christian missionary, and his mother, Susan, was a schoolteacher. He was the oldest of four children; he has two brothers, Nathan and Matt, and a sister, Liz. Duntsch is a graduate of Evangelical Christian School in the Cordova, Tennessee, where he was a football player.
Net Worth and Salary
Christopher Duntsch's net worth has dramatically declined due to the legal ramifications of his medical malpractice. Once thought to be a well-compensated neurosurgeon, his convictions and imprisonment likely left him with minimal financial resources. Speculations suggest that his net worth may have plummeted to negative values, considering the lawsuits and financial damages owed to victims and their families.
Duntsch appeared extremely qualified on paper: he had spent fifteen years in training (medical school, residency and fellowship), and his curriculum vitae was twelve single-spaced pages. Duntsch also falsely claimed to have graduated magna cum laude from St.
Jude Children’s Research Hospital with a doctorate in microbiology – a program the hospital did not offer when he allegedly attended. Duntsch soon joined Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano (now Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Plano) as a minimally invasive spine surgeon with a salary of $600,000 per year plus bonuses.
Career, Business and Investments
Duntsch's career as a neurosurgeon began with high hopes and aspirations, having graduated from medical school with distinction. However, his medical practice turned into a cautionary tale as he faced numerous malpractice suits and complaints leading to criminal charges. By 2025, his career remains in tatters, with no possibility of return to the medical community.
Duntsch initially attended Millsaps College to play Division III college football, and later transferred to Division I Colorado State University. Former teammates later said Duntsch trained hard but lacked talent. Duntsch returned home to attend Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis).
Though he hoped to play football again, Duntsch had exhausted his football eligibility, and decided to switch to a career in medicine. He completed his undergraduate degree at Memphis State in 1995.
Social Network
Given Duntsch's notoriety and the consequences of his actions, he maintains a low profile on social media. Any accounts that may exist tend to reflect his past rather than any current endeavors. Due to his imprisonment, he is not an active participant in social networking sites.
* Lee Passmore, a Collin County medical investigator, experienced chronic pain and limited mobility after Duntsch cut a ligament not normally touched during that particular procedure, misplaced hardware in his spine, incorrectly located a screw used to keep the hardware in place, and stripped its threads so it could not be removed.
Even if Duntsch had not stripped the threads, he placed the screw in a location that would have caused Passmore to bleed out if it had been removed. Vascular surgeon Mark Hoyle, who assisted with the operation, later recalled that Duntsch seemed oblivious to considerable bleeding.
Hoyle became so disturbed by Duntsch's actions that at one point he physically restrained him, and later told Duntsch to his face that he was dangerous. Duntsch's behavior led Hoyle to question his sanity.
Education
Christopher Duntsch earned his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. His education laid the foundation for what was expected to be a successful career in neurosurgery. Tragically, his qualifications have since become overshadowed by the consequences of his actions in the operating room.
After graduating from Memphis State, he continued on to an MD–PhD program at the University of Tennessee at Memphis College of Medicine earning degrees in 2001 and 2002. In 2010, Duntsch completed the MD–PhD and neurosurgery residency programs at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and then a spine fellowship program at the Semmes-Murphey Clinic in Memphis.
