Dr. David J. Benefiel, MD

Expert Publications

• Use caution when extrapolating from a small sample size to the general population.

Media Releases

Get to know Otolaryngologist, Dr. David J. Benefiel, who serves patients in Sebastopol, California

Board-certified anesthesiologist, Dr. David J. Benefiel, is currently an Independent Business Owner with Benefiel Biomedical Consulting, a company he established in 1980. He has developed his business in parallel with his professional journey as an anesthesiologist. Dr. Benefiel offers consulting for the engineering and development of medical devices.

Dr. Benefiel has a demonstrated history of working in clinical research, healthcare consulting, anesthesia, medical devices, and medical education. He retired from practice in 2013 from Northern California Anesthesia Physicians Inc in San Francisco, California, where he had served as Director Emeritus since 2002. He has also taught cardiac anesthesia to fellows and residents in the clinical setting at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine (1999-2012).

Dr. Benefiel commenced his journey in the medical arena in 1977 when he graduated with his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. After a one-year internal medicine internship conducted at Boston University, Dr. Benefiel completed a residency in anesthesiology (1978-1980) as well as an echocardiography fellowship (1983-1984) at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine. Prior to medical school, he acquired a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1971) as well as a Master of Science in Engineering degree with a focus on Chemical Engineering from Princeton University (1973).

Dr. Benefiel attained board certification in anesthesiology through the American Board of Anesthesiology. The American Board of Anesthesiology sets standards and exams for the accreditation of Board certified anesthesiologists coming to the end of their residency. It is one of the 24 medical specialty boards that constitutes the American Board of Medical Specialties.

Anesthesiology is the medical specialty concerned with the total perioperative care of patients before, during, and after surgery. It encompasses anesthesia, intensive care medicine, critical emergency medicine, and pain medicine. Anesthesiologists have the primary responsibility of monitoring the patient’s vital signs during surgery. In addition to basic measurements such as pulse, blood pressure, and temperature, they measure the patient’s respiration.

Recommended Articles

• Essential Health Benefits of Eucalyptus Oil

  What is Eucalyptus Oil?The Tasmanian blue gum, more commonly known as the Eucalyptus tree, is an evergreen tree that is mostly found in Australia. It is also available in Europe, India, and South Africa. This tree is considered one of the main food sources for koala bears.The eucalyptus tree is...

• Choosing the Right Education for Your Autistic Child

  Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can cause issues in crucial areas of development, such as social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, creative and imaginative play, and sensory processing.Children with ASD may have difficulty understanding and communicating their needs and wants to...

• Different Types of Physicians Explained

  Doctors or physicians are categorized according to different factors including medical specialties and subspecialties. Most doctors specialize in a specific area of medicine. This article provides a summary of the different types of doctors in the medical field. AllergistsAllergists are also...

• Recovery After a Laminectomy

  Laminectomy is a surgical procedure done for the removal of the lamina, bone spurs, and ligaments that may be putting pressure on your spinal nerves and causing lower back pain. The procedure is said to be one of the most commonly performed back surgeries. Below is a detailed information on what...

• What Is the Epiglottis?

  What is Epiglottis?Epiglottis is a elastic flap of tissue that is shaped like a thin leaf and situated at the root of the tongue. It protects the opening between the vocal cords, known as the entrance of the glottis. Epiglottis is covered with mucous membrane, which is a yellow elastic cartilage...

• What Are the Risks of Laminectomy?

  Your doctor will first attempt to give you other alternative treatments before recommending surgery. If your back pain still persists after treatment, your doctor may suggest for surgery as one of the solutions. Laminectomy is the most probable surgical procedure that you will have to undergo.Facts...