Daniel Coonce, MD

Daniel Coonce, MD earned his undergraduate degree from Tennessee Tech University and his medical degree from the University of Tennessee at Memphis. Dr. Coonce joined Putnam Radiology in 1982 and is a founder of Premier Diagnostic Imaging.

In 2005, Dr. Coonce traveled to Porto Cortez Honduras with an international Christian organization to serve as a medical missionary at a small indigent hospital.

He has always wanted to participate in a mission trip, but there is usually no demand for radiologists.  In the hospital in Honduras, the entire x-ray department consisted of one x-ray table - no ultrasound or MR or CT scanners, so he agreed to serve as “first assistant” to a surgeon, instead of a radiologist.

The conditions in the hospital were extremely primitive.  The OR had an abundance of fungus on the walls, and the heat was extreme - often 100 degrees - with no air conditioning.  The patients were very poor and extremely appreciative of the medical care that was provided by American doctors.  The people from the local church prepared dinner in their homes every evening for the visiting physicians.

Dr. Coonce returned to Cookeville with a new appreciation for the excellent medical facilities and equipment that we have.  He was glad to be home, eager for a hamburger, and ready to earn his next title - Marathon Man.

Dr. Coonce's son, Daniel, was in training to run 26 miles in Nashville's Music City Marathon, so he challenged his dad to participate in the half-marathon with him.  With a respectable time of 1 hour and 58 minutes for the 13 mile-run, Dr. Coonce enjoyed the music and people who encouraged the runners along the race route, he hoped to eventually run a full marathon.  Since that time he has four marathons under his belt.  The last one being a Boston Marathon qualifyer.  Now he is challenging his son to qualify so they can run it together.

However, not all his time is spent running with five grandchildren to keep him busy.  On the professional side Dr. Coonce has a renewed interest in Orthopedic and Sports medicine.