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David Schechter, MD

Culver City, California

E: frontofficedrs@gmail.com

T: 310-836-2225

W: www.schechtermd.com

Schechter Schecter Pain relief princeton TMS sarno back pain research non surgical

About David Schechter, M.D.

 

Dr. David Schechter is a physician whose career stands on principles. First, treat the whole patient (mind and body) in the context of his family, work, and his environment. Second, provide the highest quality care based upon the most up-to-date medical research. Third, emphasize prevention, a healthy lifestyle, and exercise as the mainstays of a comprehensive program.

 

Dr. Schechter is originally from New York. He was graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Biochemistry. Subsequently he attended medical school at New York University and fortuitously met Rehabilitation Professor Dr. John E. Sarno while seeking relief from a nagging knee problem. He achieved a rapid recovery after learning about Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS), a diagnosis that emphasizes the role of emotional tension in causing and perpetuating many painful ailments.

 

 

The following summer, under the auspices of Dr. John Sarno, he telephoned 177 former TMS patients of Dr. Sarno. The results confirmed his personal experience with this diagnosis and treatment approach and demonstrated a success rate above 75% in back pain patients. Since that time, he completed a residency in Family Medicine and learned how to treat the whole patient. He also achieved certification in Sports Medicine to solidify his treatment of injuries and incorporate the principles obtained from caring for competitive athletes into his overall approach to patients of all kinds.

 

Dr. Schechter served on the faculty of the USC School of Medicine from 1990 to about 2012. His last academic appointment was as an Associate Professor. His focus now is on clinical practice on the Westside of Los Angeles emphasizing mindbody approaches, sports medicine, and the treatment of injuries and back pain. A growing proportion of his patients are seeking out his expertise in the treatment of Tension Myoneural Syndrome and related mind-body disorders.

 

The remarkable results that many of these patients have experienced with this approach have motivated him to seek out opportunities to present these ideas to the general public. He developed this web site in the early internet days of 1997, has written a workbook, created an audio program, a DVD and published a book. He has also spoken on radio and television about this subject, and others. Research that he has published in this field is found on the Research Foundation's Website.   Here is one paper:  "Outcomes of a MindBody Treatment Program..."

 

He has been named a Top Doctor in Sports Medicine by Men’s Health Magazine 2008 and by US News and World Report 2011.  In 2018 Los Angeles Magazine also listed him as a Top Doctor (Sports/family medicine).

 

With Dr. Sarno's retirement in 2013, Dr. Schechter has the most continuous years of experience in the treatment of TMS of any physician.

Dr. Schechter has been named as a Top Doctor since 2006. He has won this award for fifteen consecutive years and been written about in magazines including Men's Health, US News and World Report, and Los Angeles Magazine.

Education, Training, Board Certification

 

 

EDUCATION/TRAINING/BOARD CERTIFICATION

 

SPORTS MEDICINE, CERTIFICATE OF ADDED QUALIFICATION                                                                                

            SPORTS MEDICINE CREDENTIAL FOR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS,

            RECERTIFIED IN  2003, 2013

 

FAMILY MEDICINE, DIPLOMATE, AM. BOARD OF FAMILY MEDICINE                                                                               

BOARD-CERTIFIED 1987, RE-CERTIFIED IN 1994, 2001,  2008, 2018

 

UCLA/SANTA MONICA HOSPITAL FAMILY PRACTICE RESIDENCY                                                                             

            COORDINATOR OF RESIDENT ER MOONLIGHTING EXPERIENCES

 

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (M.D.)                                                                                          

            RESEARCH IN PSYCHOSOMATIC APPROACH TO BACK PAIN

 

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY (BA)                                                                                                                             

            RESEARCH IN NUCLEOTIDE BIOCHEMISTRY,

            MEMBER STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES COMMITTEE       

1997-2023

 

 

 

1987-2028

 

 

1984-87

 

 

1980-84

 

 

1976-80

Licensure, Other Certification

LICENSURE AND OTHER CERTIFICATION

 

PAIN MANAGEMENT, CREDENTIALLED PAIN PRACTITIONER                                                                                    

            AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PAIN MANAGEMENT, CERTIFIED 2007, organization defunct 2019

 

QUALIFIED MEDICAL EVALUATOR, QME, STATE OF CALIFORNIA                                                                              

 CERTIFIED AND RE-CERTIFIED TO PERFORM MEDICO-LEGAL EXAMS

 

BOARD CERTIFIED AND RECERTIFIED FAMILY MEDICINE AND SPORTS MEDICINE, multiple times

 

CALIFORNIA LICENSE, DEA LICENSE                                                                                                                     

 

 

2007-2018

 

 

2000-2018

 

 

1987-2023

1985-2021

 
Research and Teaching

 

RESEARCH FOUNDATION

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR, SELIGMAN MEDICAL INSTITUTE                                                                                   

 RESEARCH EXPLORING THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION IN CHRONIC BACK PAIN

 SEVERAL PUBLICATIONS AND PROJECTS ONGOING: OUTCOME STUDIES, ETC.  PART TIME.

            WWW.SMI-MINDBODYRESEARCH.ORG.

                                                                                   

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

FACULTY, USC/CALIFORNIA MEDICAL CENTER F.P.RESIDENCY                                                                                

INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT SUPERVISION OF FAMILY PRACTICE RESIDENTS AND STUDENTS. 

SEMINARS AND LECTURES FOCUSING ON SPORTS MEDICINE, MUSCULO-SKELETAL INJURIES,

AND PRACTICE MANAGEMENT. 

DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL STUDENT CLERKSHIP (THIRD AND FOURTH YEAR MEDICAL AND OSTEOPATHIC STUDENTS).  

AWARDED THREE TEACHING AWARDS BY RESIDENTS (’91, ’96, ’97). 

INSTRUCTOR, INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL MEDICINE PROGRAM FOR SECOND-YEAR USC STUDENTS

 

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENT

CLINICAL ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, USC SCHOOL OF MEDICINE                                                                             

            LECTURED IN DEPARTMENTAL COURSES, PARTICIPATED IN

            VARIOUS DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES. 

 

CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, USC SCHOOL OF MEDICINE                                                                             

            CLINICAL FACULTY, INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL MEDICINE INSTRUCTOR,

            FACULTY AT AFFILIATED RESIDENCY PROGRAM.

           

CLINICAL INSTRUCTOR, USC SCHOOL OF MEDICINE                                                                                             

            RESIDENT TEACHING IN OUT-PATIENT SETTING 

 

2003-07

 

 

 

 

 

1988-97

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1998-2012

 

 

 

1991-97

 

 

 

1988-90

 

Presentations

 

PRESENTATIONS                          (partial listing of over one hundred, in total)

           

PATHWAYS TO PAIN CHRONIC PAIN RELIEF: PSYCHOLOGICAL EDUCATION                                                              2019

            NEUROSCIENCE SYMPOSIUM, SANTA BARBARA COTTAGE HOSPITAL

TWELVE STAGES OF HEALING FROM MINDBODY DISORDERS                                                                                 

            SWEDISH HOSPITAL PAIN GROUP, SEATTLE

 

CLINICAL PICTURE OF TMS/MBS/DPS

            OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL NATIONAL MEDICAL MEETING, SEATTLE                                                                

 

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR POORLY DEFINED PAIN                                                                                                         

            U. WASHINGTON PAIN MEDICINE FELLOWS CONFERENCE

 

HOW TO DEVELOP A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO CHRONIC PAIN/TMS

            AMONG PHYSICIANS AND THERAPISTS   TELECONFERENCE                                                                        

 

MYOFASCIAL PAIN, TRIGGER POINTS INJECTIONS, STRESS-RELATED PAIN,

            COLLABORATION WITH PT’S     IN SERVICES AT PT CLINICS                                                                       

 

NUTRITION AND VITAMIN TESTING -- VEGETARIANS (AND OTHERS)                                                                       

 AND STRESS-RELATED ILLNESS   PRESENTED TO LA JEWISH VEGETARIAN GROUP

 

CLINICAL EVALUATION OF PATIENTS WITH MIND-BODY DISORDERS                                                                      

            PRESENTED AT LA MIND-BODY CONFERENCE AT UCLA, MARCH                                                                   

2014

 

 

 

2014

 

2014

 

 

 

2013

 

 

2012-3

 

2010

 

 

2010

2010

 

ARTICLES, ABSTRACTS, AUDIO RECORDINGS, BOOKS, CHAPTERS

 

PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGIC DISORDERS TEXTBOOK, 2 CHAPTERS            

 

THE MINDBODYWORKBOOK FOR TEENS

THINK AWAY YOUR PAIN, BOOK 230 PAGES  MBM PUBLICATIONS                                                                             

 

OUTCOMES OF A MIND-BODY HEALING PROGRAM FOR CHRONIC BACK

PAIN WITH NO DISTINCT STRUCTURAL PATHOLOGY: A CASE SERIES OF

PATIENTS DIAGNOSED AND TREATED AS TENSION MYOSITIS (TMS) 

            ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES IN HEALTH AND MEDICINE; SEPT/OCT                                                                 

           

BACK PAIN AS A DISTRACTION PAIN SYNDROME: A WINDOW TO A WHOLE

NEW DYNAMIC IN INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE          

            EVIDENCE BASED INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE, VOL. 2, NO. 1, P. 3-8, 2005.                                                    

 

OUTCOME STUDY OF CHRONIC BACK PAIN TREATED BY A

PSYCHOLOGICALLY BASED PROGRAM,  ABSTRACT PRESENTED AT APS CONFERENCE       

            PSYCHOSOMATIC MEDICINE, VOL. 67, NO.1, ONLINE, P. A-101                                                                     

 

AT HOME EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR CHRONIC PAIN                                                                                       

             PRACTICAL PAIN  MANAGEMENT, MAY/JUNE 2004

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT UTILIZATIONREVIEW                                                                                       

            PUBLISHED IN FAMILY PRACTICE MANAGEMENT, MARCH                                                                           

 

"THE MINDBODY WORKBOOK",  (A THIRTY DAY PROGRAM OF INSIGHT

            AND AWARENESS FOR PATIENTS WITH BACK PAIN AND OTHER

            DISORDERS)--A WORKBOOK FOR EMOTIONAL ISSUES IN BACK PAIN                                                          

            PUBLISHED BY MINDBODY MEDICINE PUBLICATIONS

 

MINDBODY APPROACHES TO BACK PAIN                                       

            CHAPTERS ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION IN

            BACK PAIN RELIEF BY ROBERT H. MILLER (ALSO ONLINE)

            AND BACK PAIN SOURCEBOOK BY S. LEVIN-GERVASI                                                                                

 

THE MINDBODY AUDIO PROGRAM FOR BACK PAIN                                                                                                 

            A THREE AUDIOTAPE/CD SERIES FOR PATIENTS WITH BACK PAIN

            THAT TEACHES THEM ABOUT A UNIQUE MINDBODY PROGRAM FOR PAIN

 

LOW BACK PAIN--DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT                                                                                                  

            INTERVIEWED ON CME-CERTIFED AUDIOTAPE FOR AMERICAN ACAD. OF FP

 

“SARCOIDOSIS PRESENTS AS A TESTICULAR MASS”                                                                                              

            JABFP, 5:437-8, 1992.

 

CONTRIBUTOR TO AEROBIC FITNESS ASSSOCIATION OF AMERICA’S           

            HEALTH AND FITNESS PATIENT EDUCATION SET

and so on... 

 

2019

2019

 

2014

 

2007

 

 

 

2005

 

 

 

2005

 

2004

 

 

2001

2001

 

 

 

1999

 

 

 

 

 

1998

 

1997

 

 

 

1997

 

 

1992

 

 

2010 - present

2010 - present

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