David Curfman, MD
David R. Curfman, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and serves as Chief of the General Neurology Division. Dr. Curfman specializes in general neurology, vascular neurology, headache medicine, and functional neurologic disorders. He is board-certified in both Neurology and Vascular Neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and provides care for patients across Vanderbilt’s main campus and regional clinical network.
As Division Chief, Dr. Curfman leads one of the department’s largest outpatient divisions and oversees clinical operations, physician and advanced practice provider development, quality improvement initiatives, and strategic growth efforts. He has played a leadership role in departmental initiatives focused on access to care, controlled substance prescribing practices, functional neurologic disorder care pathways, referral optimization, clinic quality improvement, and advanced practice provider education. Prior to joining Vanderbilt in 2022, he served on system-wide stroke quality initiatives at Washington University and BJC Healthcare, where he contributed to the development of streamlined stroke triage and transfer protocols.
Dr. Curfman has received multiple awards for teaching and clinical excellence, including the Resident Teaching and Education Award at Washington University and the inaugural Missouri Baptist Medical Center Patient Satisfaction Award. He is actively involved in resident, fellow, and advanced practice provider education and regularly presents at departmental and regional continuing medical education programs. He is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Heart Association.
Dr. Curfman earned a Bachelor of Science from Purdue University and received his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He completed his internship, Neurology residency, and Vascular Neurology fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis. After serving as a Clinical Instructor at Washington University for six years, he joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 2022 and was appointed Chief of the General Neurology Division in 2023.
Research Information
Dr. Curfman’s academic interests focus on cerebrovascular disease, headache disorders, healthcare delivery, and quality improvement in neurology. His research has included studies of acute stroke systems of care, prehospital stroke evaluation, migraine-related disorders, and cerebrovascular complications in medically complex patient populations. He has also led numerous operational and quality initiatives aimed at improving access, patient safety, referral management, and outpatient neurologic care. Through clinical research and systems-based innovation, Dr. Curfman seeks to improve outcomes and access to care for patients with neurologic diseases.