Pulmonologist in Memphis
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June 14, 2026
A pulmonologist is a physician, holding an M.D. or D.O. degree, who specializes in diseases of the lungs and respiratory system. For patients in Memphis, choosing a local pulmonologist means access to in-person evaluation, on-site diagnostic testing, and a physician who coordinates care with the city’s hospitals and intensive care units. Memphis is Tennessee’s second-largest city, with a population of roughly 618,980 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and as a regional medical hub it supports a substantial community of pulmonary and critical care physicians. Memphis pulmonologists treat conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sleep apnea, interstitial lung disease, lung nodules and lung cancer, and they often manage ventilator and critical care for hospitalized patients. This article is informational and is not medical advice.
Becoming a pulmonologist requires extensive training. After earning a medical degree, a physician completes a residency in internal medicine followed by a fellowship in pulmonary disease, often combined as pulmonary and critical care medicine, and many practices add sleep medicine to that mix. Board certification in pulmonary disease is granted by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) after this training, and many Memphis pulmonologists also hold the FCCP credential, indicating Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians. Because pulmonary and critical care medicine are so closely linked, a significant number of the city’s pulmonologists also staff hospital intensive care units, which is one reason many practices are affiliated with hospital systems such as Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Baptist Memorial, and Saint Francis.
In Tennessee, physicians are licensed by the state. Medical doctors (M.D.) are licensed by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners and doctors of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) by the Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination, both within the Division of Health Related Boards under the Tennessee Department of Health (statutes at TCA Title 63, with medicine and surgery under Chapter 6 and osteopathy under Chapter 9). Patients can confirm that a physician holds an active, unrestricted license, and check for any public disciplinary actions, using the Department of Health license verification system at tn.gov. Because the Memphis metro spans the Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas state lines, a physician practicing across state borders must hold the appropriate license in each state, which is worth keeping in mind when a practice has offices in more than one state.
The services a Memphis pulmonology practice offers usually extend beyond the office visit. Standard diagnostic tools include pulmonary function testing (PFT) to assess airflow and lung volumes, bronchoscopy to examine the airways and collect tissue, and sleep studies for patients with suspected sleep apnea. Some practices also offer interventional pulmonology, which uses advanced bronchoscopic techniques for lung nodules, lung cancer staging, and complex airway problems. Ongoing management covers asthma, COPD, oxygen therapy, and follow-up of nodules found on imaging. Patients should ask which hospital a practice admits to and how urgent or after-hours issues are handled. For billing and contract concerns, Tennessee’s consumer protection framework, administered by the Division of Consumer Affairs under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), handles complaints about deceptive business practices, while clinical or licensure concerns about a specific physician go to the Tennessee Department of Health.
Top Pulmonologist Providers in Memphis
1. Mid-South Pulmonary and Sleep Specialists, P.C.
Address: 5050 Poplar Avenue, Suite 800, Memphis, TN 38157
Phone: (901) 276-2662
Website: https://www.mspulmonary.com
Services: pulmonary medicine, critical care medicine, sleep medicine, sleep studies and sleep testing, evaluation and management of COPD, asthma, emphysema, chronic cough and bronchitis
Description: Mid-South Pulmonary and Sleep Specialists is an independent private practice established in 1989 that began with two physicians and has grown into one of the larger pulmonary groups in the area, with more than 20 physicians and additional acute care practitioners. All of its physicians are board certified in pulmonary diseases and critical care medicine, and several hold additional certification in sleep medicine. The practice operates from a single Poplar Avenue location housing its pulmonary clinic in Suite 800, its sleep clinic in Suite 700, and a sleep testing center in Suite 600, with separate phone lines for the pulmonary clinic, sleep clinic, and sleep testing. Its physicians also serve as critical care intensivists in the intensive care units of Memphis-area hospital systems, treating patients from pediatric through adult ages for the full range of lung and sleep conditions.
2. Memphis Lung Physicians
Address: 2120 Exeter Road, Suite 250, Germantown, TN 38138
Phone: (901) 767-5864
Website: https://www.memphislung.com
Services: pulmonary medicine, critical care services, sleep studies, interventional pulmonology including robotic bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), rigid bronchoscopy, and medical thoracoscopy
Description: Memphis Lung Physicians has cared for patients with chest, lung, and breathing-related diseases in the Memphis area since 1980 and operates with a large group of more than 20 providers serving the broader metro from offices in Germantown, Tennessee, and Southaven, Mississippi. The Germantown office on Exeter Road serves Memphis-area patients and is staffed by physicians including Robert W. Schriner, MD, FCCP, FAASM, Kenneth Azuka Okpor, MD, FCCP, Jeffrey Wright, MD, PhD, FCCP, and additional board-certified pulmonologists. The practice offers a notably deep interventional pulmonology program, with services such as robotic bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound, rigid bronchoscopy, and medical thoracoscopy used in the diagnosis and treatment of lung nodules, lung cancer, and complex airway and pleural conditions, alongside general pulmonary care, critical care, and sleep studies.
3. Methodist Medical Group Pulmonology
Address: 1325 Eastmoreland Avenue, Suite 370, Memphis, TN 38104
Phone: (901) 758-7888
Website: https://www.methodisthealth.org/locations/methodist-medical-group-pulmonology
Services: pulmonary disease evaluation and treatment, lung and respiratory condition management, coordination with hospital-based critical care and diagnostic services
Description: Methodist Medical Group Pulmonology is part of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, one of the largest hospital systems in the Memphis region. The practice is located in the Eastmoreland area near the Methodist University Hospital campus in midtown Memphis and provides outpatient pulmonary care within a system that includes Methodist University Hospital, Methodist North Hospital, and Methodist South Hospital. As a hospital-affiliated group, the practice connects patients to the broader Methodist network for diagnostic imaging, procedures, and inpatient critical care when needed, which can be useful for patients whose lung conditions may require hospitalization or coordination across multiple specialties. The system’s scale gives patients access to pulmonary care integrated with the resources of a major academic-affiliated health system.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pulmonologist in Memphis
Q: What does a pulmonologist do, and how is one different from a primary care doctor?
A pulmonologist is a physician (M.D. or D.O.) who, after completing an internal medicine residency, undergoes additional fellowship training focused on the lungs and respiratory system. Pulmonologists diagnose and treat conditions including asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, interstitial lung disease, and lung nodules or cancer, and many also work in critical care medicine in hospital intensive care units. A primary care physician typically manages mild or stable breathing problems and refers more complex or persistent lung conditions to a pulmonologist for specialized testing and care.
Q: How can I verify that a Memphis pulmonologist is properly licensed?
Tennessee physicians with an M.D. are licensed by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners, and those with a D.O. by the Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination, both under the Department of Health (TCA Title 63, Chapters 6 and 9). You can confirm a physician’s license status and review any public disciplinary history through the Department of Health license verification tool at tn.gov. Because the Memphis metro crosses into Mississippi and Arkansas, a physician who also practices in those states should hold a valid license there as well, verifiable through each state’s medical board.
Q: What tests might a pulmonologist in Memphis order?
Common pulmonary tests include pulmonary function testing (PFT) to measure airflow and lung volumes, bronchoscopy to examine the airways and collect tissue samples, and sleep studies for suspected sleep apnea. Practices with interventional pulmonology programs may also offer advanced techniques such as endobronchial ultrasound and robotic bronchoscopy for evaluating lung nodules and staging lung cancer. Chest imaging, including X-rays and CT scans, is frequently used to evaluate nodules, infections, and interstitial lung disease.
Q: Are Memphis pulmonology practices connected to hospitals?
Many are. Because pulmonary medicine and critical care medicine are closely linked, a large share of pulmonologists also staff hospital intensive care units, and practices are frequently affiliated with systems such as Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Baptist Memorial, or Saint Francis. Some independent groups maintain hospital privileges and serve as intensivists in those hospitals’ ICUs. Asking which hospital a practice uses, and how procedures and after-hours care are handled, helps patients understand where more advanced care would take place.
Q: How do I file a complaint about a pulmonology practice in Memphis?
Complaints about a physician’s clinical conduct or licensure are directed to the Tennessee Department of Health, which oversees the Board of Medical Examiners and the Board of Osteopathic Examination. Concerns about billing, advertising, or other business practices can be filed with the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which enforces the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Keeping records of appointments, communications, and bills supports any complaint.
Q: Do I need a referral to see a pulmonologist in Memphis?
It depends on your insurance plan. Many health maintenance organization (HMO) plans require a referral from a primary care physician before covering a specialist visit, while preferred provider organization (PPO) plans often let patients self-refer. Because pulmonary care can involve testing and procedures, confirming referral and prior-authorization requirements with both the practice and your insurer before the first appointment helps avoid unexpected costs.