David L Brenner,
MPAS, PA-C
Psychiatry/Psychopharmacology
(910) 343-6890
"For me, psychiatry is a calling.
I am passionate about what I do."
I am a psychiatric physician associate with over 20 years experience. My area of expertise is psychopharmacology, or the use of medication in treating mental health symptoms. .
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I began my career as one of only two psychiatric PAs at Rikers Island Correctional Facility, treating patients in the Acute Mental Observation Unit. From there, I worked with adults with special needs at the Center for Developmental Disabilities in Queens, NY. Over the subsequent years, I practiced in office-based, hospital-based, and emergency room-based settings, treating a wide variety of patients and conditions. I spent several years practicing consult-liaison psychiatry, affording me great experience diagnosing and managing mental illness in the setting of comorbid acute and chronic medical illness. In addition to my clinical work, I served as professor of psychiatry at Stony Brook University's Masters-level physician assistant program and guest-lectured at two other distinguished schools.
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I specialize in the treatment of a variety of mental health conditions. These include, but are not limited to, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic attacks, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders, and certain personality disorders. As mental health issues often stem from biological and psychological factors, I may also recommend talk therapy or lifestyle modifications.
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I believe in taking an integrative approach to treating patients, combining well-researched conventional medicine with evidence-based complementary therapies to care for the whole person.
Education
Master of Science in Advanced Physician Assistant Studies - AT Still University, Mesa, AZ. Graduated with honors
Physician Assistant Certification - St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Centers Physician Assistant Program, Fresh Meadows, NY. Graduated with honors
Teaching Experience
Clinical Assistant Professor - Stony Brook University Physician Assistant Program, Stony Brook, NY
Guest Lecturer - St. Vincent’s-Catholic Medical Centers and Pace University Physician Assistant Programs, New York, NY
Professional Recognition and Honors
Master Clinician Certification for Psychopharmacology - Neuroscience Education Institute, San Diego, CA. Three-time recipient (2005, 2017, 2022)
Affiliations
American Academy of Physician Assistants
North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants
Association of Physician Assistants in Psychiatry