David Benjamin Jeffs, Do Email & Phone Number

Joplin, Missouri, United States

Aurora, Colorado, United States

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Working directly with University of Utah Department of Neurosurgery has been and continues to be a priceless experience for me and where I want to go with medicine. Going on my third year, I am a co-investigator. In this role, I focus my time and efforts to artificial intelligence identification of neurovascular lesions. I process cerebral MR angiograms for algorithm optimization, identify vascular lesions on imaging, identify MRI segmentation software and educate myself on its use, manually segment aneurysms for AI training, and train neuroradiology fellows in using segmentation and data processing software.

Ivins, Utah, United States

As a member of the Physician Scientist Honors Track, I proposed and designed research studies, drafted IRB approval forms, completed successful grant proposals (recently awarded a $15,000 grant), performed novel research, drafted publications and manuscripts, and delivered oral and poster presentations. As part of one of our research projects, I was able to establish a collaboration with Dr. Bibiana Fabre, whose method of cortisol quantification was recently published in Nature Scientific Reports. When I discovered how this research could relate to our own study on the health impacts of medical education on its students, I immediately began setting up a relationship with her research team. In no time, our teams were incorporating and collaborating work among projects.

Ivins, Utah, United States

Throughout my second year of medical school, I was a student tutor to first year medical students. I conducted one-on-one tutoring sessions, led private group sessions, and lectured to 50+ students on test reviews in the classroom. As a tutor, I facilitated students reaching and surpassing competency in accordance with AACOM and AAMC’s curriculum. Areas of study included musculoskeletal system, neuroscience, and molecular and cellular mechanisms. In this role, I discovered how much I enjoy being both the learner and the teacher.

Duchesne, Utah, United States

During my time at Second Nature, I was a field counselor to troubled adolescents in a wilderness setting. I was actively involved with patients suffering from trauma and related mental disorders such as PTSD and/or Bipolar disorder, substance abuse, learning disabilities, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder and carrying out their appointed therapeutic treatment designed by clinical professionals. In addition to supervising troubled youth, my responsibilities consisted of providing first aid, teaching wilderness survival skills (such as primitive fire-starting, shelter construction, etc.), instructing the usage/application of therapeutic tools, and facilitating youth in processing difficult emotions. In this role, I became acutely aware of how strongly limitations of someone’s physical health can affect every aspect of their life.

Provo, Utah, United States

I thoroughly enjoyed working as a Research Technician at the BYU MRI Research Facility. I prepared and scanned postmortem human brain sections, designed and created agarose human analog phantoms, conducted and supervised MRI scans, developed effective scan protocol and fabricated hand platform, recruited and filtered subjects, wrote grant proposals (and was awarded a $10,000 internal grant), performed extensive literature reviews, collaborated with experts, and instructed new technicians. I spearheaded the BYU MRI Hand Study and contributed to the Ultrashort Echo Time t2* mapping Alzheimer’s Disease Study. I learned how to manage a research project from start to finish, and I believe my experience working with the IRB and writing grant proposals is an especially valuable asset towards my future in medicine.

Provo, Utah, United States

As a House Manager at Chrysalis, I provided 24-hour care to patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Chrysalis homes house about four to five individuals that require dedicated assistance with ADLs. I led the implementation of person-centered behavior plans while also managing all of their medical, financial, and recreational patient needs. I carried out clinical duties such as distributing medications and administering treatments. I also represented clients to their physicians, therapists, and social workers. I provided coaching and motivational interviewing with the goal ofimproving each patient’s quality of life. Working with clients helped me learn how to manage complex and non-compliant patients while maintaining respectful, calm speech and mannerisms. Whether or not I was able to honor a patient’s specific requests, we were still able to establish strong and meaningful connections with each other.

Provo, Utah, United States

I had the unique opportunity to be a head coach for both Special Olympics and community youth basketball teams. Along with teaching the athletic skills, team attitude, and core values that define a true athlete, I acted as a role model and character-builder both on and off the court for my players. As each of the athletes played with different intellectual disabilities, I enjoyed helping each player discover their strengths and weaknesses, and how they could build upon and improve these each day. Training individuals with learning disabilities was surprisingly similar to coaching elementary school children. Both groups struggled with despondency, had challenges with injuries, and experienced disputes with teammates and opponents. As I worked with team members, I developed the ability to see how the players responded to opposition and I learned how to address the needs of each individual. When the teammates felt my compassion, they were eager to cooperate and were more receptive to my help.

Provo, Utah, United States

- Mentored groups of adolescents 11-18 years old- Assisted youth in learning how to code, optimize structures, calculate forces, build circuits, and conduct chemistry experiments- Emphasized creativity, teamwork, and group problem solving

Provo, Utah, United States

While working in the cancer research lab at Brigham Young University, there was a period of nearly a year where the data produced by our assays was unreliable. Due to frustration, many of the other researchers quit. When I was first put in charge, I sought training for myself and the rest of the team from experts in the field. I implemented new control measures in our assays, which helped us determine causes of error. I made recommendations in lab practice and equipment changes that enabled us to replenish our depleted cryopreserved cell lines, obtain consistent and reliable results from our assays, and publish our findings. I learned during this time that academic research often requires determination to overcome setbacks and humility to seek advice from experts. Responsibilities included cell culture, designing/managing experiments, viability assays, HPLC and gas chromatography, cryopreservation, leading meetings, participating in the hiring process, training researchers, and teaching lectures.

Provo, Utah, United States

Immersing myself into research is one of my greatest passions and interests. During my undergraduate degree, I sought out all opportunities possible in order to feed my desire to learn. The BYU Psychology Department took me as one of their research assistants. Performing literature reviews, editing publication manuscripts, and conducting statistical analysis of relationships between the genes, age, lifestyle, and carotid intima media thickness were some of my duties and responsibilities.

Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States

Soon after my high school graduation, I was invited to be a Research Assistant Intern at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. I worked directly with the Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) Team. I took part in combining MRI and MEG scan technologies to eliminate integration error, fabricated low EMF switch research, performed circuit design using Eagle CAD software, and aided in the fabrication and troubleshooting of circuits. Our team was successful in using the world’s most sensitive magnetic-field detector to pinpoint seizure-generating tissue in epileptics’ brains and to screen carry-on liquids at airports. While this experience occurred more than ten years ago, it had a huge impact on me. I developed a passion for research that has continued to expand to this day.

Doctor Of Osteopathic Medicine

Activities and Societies: Sigma Sigma Phi Honors Fraternity, Physician-Scientist Honors Track, American Osteopathic Academy.

Master'S Degree, Biomedical Sciences

Activities and Societies: Graduate Student Council Treasurer, Class Ranking: 5 out of 35

Bachelor Of Neuroscience

Activities and Societies: Founder & President of the World Literacy Club; Opera

High School Diploma

Activities and Societies: Orem High Basketball Team