David W. Dodick

Chief Science Officer & Chair, Atria Academy of Science & Medicine

Prior to joining Atria, Dr. David Dodick trained and served on the faculty at the Mayo Clinic since 1990. There, he founded the Neurology Residency Program, the Headache Fellowship Program, the Sports Neurology and Concussion Program, the Migraine and Headache Program, and co-founded the Vascular Neurology / Stroke Program. He is Professor Emeritus at the Mayo Clinic, a consultant for Mayo Clinic International, and an Adjunct Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the University of Copenhagen. Dr. Dodick currently chairs the American Brain Foundation and the International Headache Society’s Global Patient Advocacy Coalition. In addition, Dr. Dodick serves as Co-Chair of World Brain Day for Brain Health on behalf of the World Federation of Neurology. Dr. Dodick has authored 13 books and more than 900 peer-reviewed abstracts and manuscripts. He has delivered more than 500 lectures in more than 40 countries.

Why leave the renowned Mayo Clinic after three decades? “I spent the past 32 years at a medical institute that is world class and the gold standard at treating complex disease. I came to Atria because I believe this institute will become world class and the gold standard in preventing complex disease,” says Dr. Dodick.

“The practice of neurology today is based on the evaluation and treatment of symptoms after a disease has already begun,” he says. “At Atria, renowned neurologists and neuroscientists have designed an unparalleled program to optimize the health and performance of the brain to prevent and attenuate the risk of brain disease. We will measure the health of the brain with accuracy using the most advanced diagnostic technologies available anywhere. We will initiate a Care Plan that is designed with precision, based on the person’s biology, and we will monitor with meticulous attention to ensure the best possible outcomes. We are fully committed to continuous discovery, shaping the future, and preserving and protecting what makes us human—our brains.”

On what led Dr. Dodick to come to Atria, he says, “What sold me were the people. I had such trust and was inspired by the people here, and I thought to myself, ‘If anybody can pull this off, this collection of people can.’ We have the diagnostic tools, the knowledge, and the therapies. I thought to myself that if all of that were brought to bear with no restraints or constraints, my God, what we can do for our patients?”

Dr. Dodick has wanted to be a doctor since he was a child. “There was one person—only one person—in the small steel town in Nova Scotia where I grew up who made everyone feel better: the doctor. Everyone loved him. This struck me so much that when I was four and I was given a book that asked what I wanted to be, I wrote, ‘doctor.’”

From that point on, Dr. Dodick knew that being a doctor was his calling. After earning his medical degree with distinction from Dalhousie University, Dr. Dodick was awarded the Woltman Award as the Top Neurology Resident at Mayo Clinic as well as the Top Researcher and Top Educator awards as a Professor at Mayo Clinic. Now Professor Emeritus at Mayo, Dr. Dodick is excited to maintain his close ties to his alma mater while embarking on a new journey at Atria.

Credentials

Professor Emeritus
Mayo Clinic
Founder & Former Director
Headache Program & Sports Neurology & Concussion programs, Mayo Clinic
Founder & Former Director
Neurology Residency & Headache Fellowship programs, Mayo Clinic
Adjunct Professor
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Adjunct Professor
University of Copenhagen

Awards

Distinguished Investigator Award
Mayo Clinic
Distinguished Educator Award
Mayo Clinic
John Graham Clinician's Award for Achievement & Leadership in Headache Medicine
American Headache Society
Distinguished Service Award
American Society
Distinguished Service Award
International Headache Society
Migraine Trust International Lectureship Award
James Lance Oration Award
Migraine Foundation of Australia
John Edmeads Award
Canadian Headache Society
CNS Richard Keynote Lecturer
Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation
Alumnus of the Year
Dalhousie University
Global Year Against Pain Special Lectureship Award
American Pain Society
Richard L. and Mary Masland Keynote Lecturer
World Congress of Neurology, Bangkok, Thailand