Dr. Dave Clarke is a Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at Dell Medical School. He is the current Chief of Pediatric Epilepsy at Dell Children’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Program and the Kozmetsky Family Endowed Chair in Pediatric Epilepsy. Dr. Clarke was born in Antigua, West Indies, and he completed his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. Dr. Clarke completed his child neurology residency at the University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, and his neurophysiology fellowship at the University of Toronto, Hospital for Sick Children, Canada, with a recent certificate in public health at the University of Texas, Houston. Before returning to Austin, Dr. Clarke held leadership positions at La Bonheur Children’s Medical Center, the University of Tennessee, and Baylor College of Medicine.
During his training and academic career, Dr. Clarke was influenced and mentored by pediatric neurology giants in the field, such as O. Carter Snead III, Nico Moshé, Faye Silverstein, Robert Gray, James Wheless, E. Steve Roach, and many others.
Dr. Clarke has also occupied numerous leadership positions in multiple national and international societies. For example, he served as the secretary/treasurer for the National Association of Epilepsy Centers and president of the Epilepsy Society of the Caribbean. He has been the recipient of multiple honors and awards in recognition of his humanitarian work, including the Student Humanitarian Award (during fellowship at Sick Kids), the J. Kiffin Penry Award for Excellence in Epilepsy Care from the American Epilepsy Society, and the Ambassador of Epilepsy Award from the International League Against Epilepsy/International Bureau for Epilepsy.
In addition to his successful academic life, Dr. Clarke has found time in his busy schedule to organize and participate in international outreach projects for many years, providing care and organizing international training programs to improve epilepsy care in poor resource regions. Dr. Clarke’s determination, combined with his soft demeanor and humble personality, helped him to develop large collaborative projects between local leaders and government with the support of national and international societies. One of his major outreach programs was directed to the Caribbean region, a remarkbly complex part of the world with diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Despite these challenges, Dr. Clarke implemented multiple projects to improve the care of children with epilepsy in this region. These programs included training local personnel in epilepsy, EEG, dietary therapy, and epilepsy surgery for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. He has ongoing participation in the clinical care of patients in three Caribbean countries.
Dr. Clarke’s work extends well beyond the Caribbean. As a member of the International Affairs Committee for the Child Neurology Society, he helped to develop training programs related to epilepsy and EEG in Ghana. He has lectured to medical students and at Moi University in Kenya. In his tireless efforts to improve access to care for underserved children, he has contributed to improving infrastructure in resource-limited countries. He is now working with colleagues to expand training projects in countries in the African and Caribbean regions.
Dr Clarke’s area of research focuses on drug-resistant epilepsy, pediatric epilepsy surgery, and global health. He has delivered approximately 100 national and international talks and has been an invited speaker at multiple societies and in different countries, including the Caribbean, African, Asian, and European regions. He has organized many symposiums to raise awareness about the obstacles faced by colleges practicing in resource-limited regions and the importance of culturally sensitive interventions.
Dr. Clarke has mentored numerous medical students, residents, fellows, and younger colleagues nationally and internationally. Most importantly, he is a dedicated, compassionate physician who prioritizes patients’ interests.
On a personal level, I have known Dr. Clarke for about 20 years. He has been a constant inspiration for my international work. Through my interactions with him, I learned the importance of respect, cooperation, and keeping a cheerful and positive attitude when engaging in collaborative projects.
Finally, Dr. Clarke could not have accomplished his work without the support of his wife, Sophie, and their children, Taara (27) and Cameron (25).