David R. Renner, MD

In 2002, Dr. Renner joined the Department of Neurology faculty, where he currently holds a position as an associate professor of neurology and a diplomate of tropical medicine and infectious disease. Dr. Renner is the course director for medical school neurosciences (Brain and Behavior). Dr. Renner is very active in teaching and mentoring and has given hundreds of lectures to fellows, residents and students.

In addition to education, Dr. Renner practices clinical neurology. He started the University of Utah’s first HIV-neurology clinic, as well as the University of Utah Department of Neurology’s first outreach clinic at St. John’s Hospital in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He is a vascular neurologist who serves as a member of the Brain Attack team and continues to work closely with telemedicine for both stroke and clinical consultation in Jackson Hole.

Dr. Renner is specialized in infectious neurology and tropical medicine. He conducts clinical research and is focusing upon demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system in HIV patients. Additionally, he is involved in assessing the neurological needs in the sub-Saharan African countries of Ghana and Kenya and has developed traveling, educational, and didactic curriculum for primary-care physicians in these countries. He has also developed an evolving, educational, and didactic curriculum for primary-care physicians in countries with extremely limited resources and is working to establish adult-neurology residency training programs in these countries. He is a member of a consortium of HIV providers and works with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on the formation of the first East African Diploma of Tropical Medicine and International Health.

Dr. Renner is a member of The American Academy of Neurology, American Heart Association, The Royal College of Physicians, American Medical Association, American Stroke Association, Movement Disorder Society, Phi Beta Delta, and Phi Sigma Tau. He is a test writer for the Royal College of Physicians and the United Stated Licensing Exam, and his area of interest involves CNS compartmentalization of the HIV genome. He also serves on several committees. He is the chairman of the Neuroscience Task Force of The United States Medical License Examination (USMLE); Task Force Member for the American Academy of Neurology on Evidence Based Medicine; School of Medicine Continuity Medical Education; General Medical Education Committee for Residency; School of Medicine Residency Grievance Committee, - College of Health Curriculum Committee; College of Health Awards Committee; Neurology Resident Selection Committee; Neurology Residency Education Committee; and Second Year Medical School Curriculum Committee.

Dr. Renner has received several awards which include the Teacher of the Year Award for the Department of Neurology; James L. Parkin, M.D., Award for Outstanding Clinical Teaching; Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, Arnold P. Gold Foundation; Teacher of the Year Nominee from University of Utah Physicians Assistant Program; and the distinguished Early Career Teaching Award from the University of Utah Teaching Committee.