David Copenhaver, M.D., M.P.H.
Chief, Division of Pain Medicine
Director, Cancer Pain Management & Supportive Care
Director, Pain Tele-Health programs
Clinical Professor, Division of Pain Medicine
David Copenhaver is not currently accepting new patients. For assistance finding a UC Davis doctor, please call 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284).
Specialties
Anesthesiology
Pain Medicine
Locations and Contact
Lawrence J. Ellison Ambulatory Care Center
Lawrence J. Ellison Ambulatory Care Center
4860 Y St.
Sacramento, CA 95817
Phone: 916-734-7246
Phone: 916-734-7463
Fax: 916-734-1770
Additional Numbers
Physician Referrals
Philosophy of Care
Dr. Copenhaver believes in Cancer Pain Management and Supportive Care by using all means necessary to reduce pain, improve function and the quality of our patient's lives.
Clinical Interests
Dr. Copenhaver is an anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist with unique expertise in diagnosing and managing complex pain management problems of various types. Dr. Copenhaver has expertise in cancer pain management, craniofacial pain and complex regional pain syndrome. Dr. Copenhaver’s practice utilizes numerous techniques, including but not limited to, the implantation of neuromodulatory devices and direct delivery of medications to the central nervous system via intrathecal delivery platforms.
Research/Academic Interests
Dr. Copenhaver has research interests in health services administration, pain medicine education, responsible opioid therapy management, targeted drug delivery, cancer pain management, craniofacial pain and the applied use of stem cells in the setting of intervertebral disc disease.
Dr. Copenhaver completed his undergraduate degrees in Neuroscience, Physiology and Behavior at UC Davis. He subsequently went on to the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA to complete his medical school education and a master's degree in public health with an emphasis in Health Services Administration. Dr. Copenhaver completed his residency in Anesthesiology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and his pain medicine fellowship at the University of California at Davis.
Division
Pain Medicine
Neurological Surgery
Center/Program Affiliation
Undergraduate School
B.S./B.A., UC Davis, Davis CA 1997/1998
Medical School
M.D., David Geffen School of Medicine - UC Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA 2005
Other School
M.P.H., Health Services Administration, Jonathan Fielding School of Public Health at UCLA, Los Angeles CA 2005
Internship
Internal Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles CA 2005-2006
Residency
Anesthesiology, Columbia University - New York Presbyterian, Manhattan NY 2006-2009
Fellowship
Pain Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento CA 2009-2010
Sacramento Magazine's Top Doctors, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Recognition of Excellent Care, UC Davis Health, 2017
Outstanding Teacher of the Year UC Davis Pain Medicine 2011-2014,
Gary Collins Fellow Teacher of the Year Award UC Davis, 2010
Sara C. Armstrong Award for Compassionate Care, UC Davis Health, 2010
Team Captain of the Year, Columbia University Anesthesiology, 2009
Servis M, Fishman SM, Wallace MS, Henry SG, Ziedonis D, Ciccarone D, Knight KR, Shoptaw S, Dowling P, Suchard JR, Shah S, Singh N, Cedarquist LC, Alem N, Copenhaver DJ, Westervelt M, Willis BC. Responding to the Opioid Epidemic: Educational Competencies for Pain and Substance Use Disorder from the Medical Schools of the University of California. Pain Med. 2020 Dec 14:pnaa399. doi:10.1093/pm/pnaa399. Epub ahead of print. PMID:33316051.
Fishman SM, Copenhaver D, Lorenzen K, Schlingmann E, Chung C. UC Davis Train-the-Trainer Primary Care Pain Management Fellowship: Addressing the Pain Management Education Gap. Acad Med. 2020 Jun 23. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000003554. Epub ahead of print. PMID:32590468.
Fishman SM, Copenhaver D, Mongoven JM, Lorenzen K, Schlingmann E, Young HM. Cancer pain treatment and management: an interprofessional learning module for prelicensure health professional students. MedEdPORTAL. 2020;16:10953. doi:10.15766/mep_2374-8265.10953.
Singh N, Nielsen AA, Copenhaver DJ, Sheth SJ, Li CS, Fishman SM. Advancing Simulation-Based Education in Pain Medicine. Pain Med. 2018 Sep 1;19(9):1725-1736. doi:10.1093/pm/pnx344. PMID:29490076.
Copenhaver DJ, Karvelas NB, Fishman SM. Risk Management for Opioid Prescribing in the Treatment of Patients With Pain From Cancer or Terminal Illness: Inadvertent Oversight or Taboo? Anesth Analg. 2017 Nov;125(5):1610-1615. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000002463. PMID:29049111.
Solberg J, Copenhaver D, Fishman SM. Medial branch nerve block and ablation as a novel approach to pain related to vertebral compression fracture. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2016 Oct;29(5):596-9. doi:10.1097/ACO.0000000000000375. PMID:27548307.
Smith HS, Sheth SJ, Copenhaver DJ, Fishman SM. Radiation and Imaging Radiation Safety for the Pain Specialist. In: Bajwa ZH, Wootton R, Warfield CA. eds. Principles and Practice of Pain Medicine, 3e. McGraw Hill; 2016.
Copenhaver DJ, Prickett W, Fishman SM. Essentials, Legal and Regulatory Considerations in Opioid Prescribing Companion Book. In: Ries RK, Fiellin DA, Miller SC, Saitz R, (ed). Principles of Addiction Medicine, Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. 2015.
Calderon R, Copenhaver D. Postdural puncture headache. J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2013 Dec;27(4):406-7. doi:10.3109/15360288.2013.847523. Epub 2013 Nov 18. PMID:24245572.
Calderon R, Copenhaver D. Buprenorphine for chronic pain. J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2013 Dec;27(4):402-5. doi:10.3109/15360288.2013.847522. Epub 2013 Nov 18. PMID:24245573.