Brett Smith, DO

Dr. Brett Smith is a rheumatologist at Tennessee Direct Rheumatology in Knoxville. He is also a personal trainer and an ISSA-certified strength and conditioning specialist, and he brings that combination into how he treats patients.

His approach centers on the six pillars of lifestyle medicine. Nutrition, physical activity, stress management, restorative sleep, social connection and avoiding risky substances all factor into how he builds a plan for each person he sees, rather than treating those pieces as separate from the medical side of care.

That dual background as both physician and strength coach shapes his outlook. He tends to see fitness and daily habits as part of the treatment itself, not an afterthought to it.