Bracken Armstrong, MD

Assistant Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery

Contact Info

• Tampa General Hospital
  1 Tampa General Circle, G-417
  Tampa FL
• Academic Email: brackenarmstrong@usf.edu
• Academic Phone: (813) 844-7968
• View My C.V.

Education

Biography

Dr. Armstrong is a board certified Trauma, Acute Care, Burn and Surgical Critical Care Surgeon at Tampa General Hospital and Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. He specializes in the treatment of traumatic injuries, emergency general surgery, complex abdominal emergencies, surgical critical care and burn injuries. Dr. Armstrong earned his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed General Surgery residency at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. He subsequently completed advanced fellowship training in Surgical Critical Care, Burn Surgery, and Acute Care Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. As a faculty member at USF, Dr. Armstrong is actively involved in the education of medical students, surgical residents, and critical care fellows and participates in clinical research focused on trauma systems, emergency surgery, critical care and military-civilian readiness. Lieutenant Colonel Armstrong serves in the United States Air Force Medical Corps. He has deployed in support of combat operations to Afghanistan & Qatar and currently serves as Trauma Medical Director for United States Central Command (CENTCOM), helping coordinate trauma readiness and military-civilian partnerships throughout the region. Dr. Armstrong enjoys the breadth and complexity of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery and the opportunity to care for the critically ill patient from initial injury to recovery. His particular clinical interests include surgical stabilization of rib and sternal fractures, complex chest wall injury, necrotizing soft tissue infections, hidradenitis suppurativa, complex abdominal emergencies, open abdomen management, and reconstructive soft tissue surgery. He is especially interested in multidisciplinary approaches to challenging surgical disease and advanced operative decision-making in critically ill patients. Dr. Armstrong has cared for thousands of critically ill and injured patients and remains actively involved in the education of the next generation of surgeons and critical care physicians.

Recent Publications

• Gurney JM, Armstrong BA, Martinez JG, et al. Joint Trauma System Clinical Practice Guideline: Transfusion of Type A Whole Blood for the Role 3. , 2025.
• Armstrong BA, Lorch SM, Diaz JJ. Sternal Fracture Management. VSI: Rib Fracture Management. Current Problems in Surgery. 64(101725), 2025.
• Brocke T, Armstrong B. Wound Care. The Washington Manual of Surgery, 9e. , 2023.
• Oduyale O, Armstrong B, McCool J, Kirby J. Burn Care. The Washington Manual of Surgery, 9e. , 2023.
• Armstrong BA (Contributor). DoD COVID-19 Practice Management Guide: Clinical Management of COVID-19, version 7.0. Defense Health Agency, Department of Defense. , 2021.
• Armstrong BA. Damage Control Concepts and Principles (Damage Control Resuscitation). Emergency War Surgery Course, 5th Edition. Defense Health Agency, Joint Trauma System Battlefield Education Program. , 2018.
• Armstrong BA, Guidry C, May AK. Surgical Complications in the ICU. Acute Care Surgery, 2e.. , 2018.
• Armstrong BA, Betzold RD, May AK. Sepsis and Septic Shock Strategies Surg Clin North Am. 97(6) : 1339-1379, 2017.

Positions Held

• Assistant Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis (2018 - 2023)
• Clinical Instructor in Surgery, Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (2017 - 2018)