Professor of Internal Medicine

Department: Internal Medicine

Christopher M. Wise, M.D., joined our faculty in 1992 as Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine (DOIM), Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, and received the W. Robert Irby Professorship in 1997. He was promoted to Professor of Medicine in 2002 and received the Scott-Taliaferro Professorship in 2008. He has served as a true “triple-threat” academic physician and distinguished clinician at VCU for the past 30 years. Dr. Wise is revered as a true “clinician’s clinician” and the go-to physician for complex rheumatologic conditions. “Neuromuscular impaired patients often have complex multisystem disorders with a large set of differential diagnoses. He is able to simplify the issues and order a rationale-focused workup. This expertise is packaged in a physician who has always a pleasant demeanor and relentless commitment to availability and education. Our shared patients always praise his kindness and care,” comments Wilhelm Zuelzer, M.D., Richard Caspari Professor and Vice Chair of Clinical Operations, Orthopedic Surgery, Chief Perioperative Services Operations, VCUHS.

“He [Dr. Wise] has maintained the busiest and most efficient clinical practice in our division since arriving here in 1992, and always has been available to see an urgent patient referral,” attests Lawrence B. Schwartz, M.D., Ph.D., Dr. Wise’s Division Chair and Charles and Evelyn Thomas Professor of Medicine. “Two of his senior-authored papers, one on rheumatoid arthritis and the other on osteoarthritis, have each been cited over 200 times.” Dr. Wise has developed highly-respected expertise through his 30+ clinical studies focused on a wide range of rheumatic conditions. His contributions to patient care have not gone unnoticed: he has received the DOIM Faculty Award for Distinguished Clinical Care four times and in 2018 was honored with the DOIM Faculty Award for Excellence in Professional Service.

Dr. Wise served as Director of Ambulatory Care Center practice (1995-2020) and as Director of all Medical Subspecialties clinics from 2003-09. He has been named one of America's Top Doctors by Castle Connolly since 2002. Among many service activities, he was a member of the MCVP Clinical Practices Council (2006-09), the Clinical Operations and Planning Committee (1993-09) and Quality Assessment and Improvement Committee (1993-96) for DOIM. His national service includes the American College of Rheumatology Continuing Assessment Review Evaluation committee (2008-18) and service on the subcommittee on Continuous Professional Development since 2019.

Outstanding teaching and mentoring are also hallmarks of Dr. Wise’s contributions. Dr. Wise served as the Coursemaster for the M2 Musculoskeletal Course from 2000-10, receiving the Outstanding Course Teacher award eight times and the Outstanding Course Teacher Certificate four times. His contributions to student teaching were recognized by induction into Alpha Omega Alpha as a faculty member in 1999, an honor bestowed on only a single faculty member yearly.

“Dr. Wise recruited me to serve on the American College of Rheumatology’s CARE committee, which has been a significant stepping-stone in helping me expand my national and international resume. Since then, I have striven to emulate Dr. Wise and have sought out ways to ‘pay it forward’ and assist my colleagues with career development,” states Beth Rubinstein, M.D., Grace Branch Moore Arthritis-Foundation Professor, Associate Professor of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, DOIM. “Recently, Dr. Wise has been working diligently to improve patient access to the Rheumatology clinics which has been essential in allowing us to provide timely evaluations of people with rheumatologic and autoimmune conditions..."

As Dr. Zuelzer summarizes, “He [Dr. Wise] has contributed to excellence in our clinical mission with consistent kindness and availability while providing outstanding clinical care for 30 years. He made his peers better and raised the level of the lake at our institution. He made me a better clinician and has served as an ideal role model for medical students, residents and his peers.”

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