DAVID M. BENEDEK, M.D., D.F.A.P.A.
COL, MC, USA (Ret.)
Associate Director, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University
Dr. Benedek is the Immediate Past Chair of--and presently Professor of Psychiatry & Neuroscience within--the USU Dept. of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University and an Associate Director at the University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress. He is a past President of the Society of Uniformed Service Psychiatrists — the Military District Branch of the American Psychiatric Association, and a past Branch Representative to the APA Assembly. He is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. In addition to his operational experience in Bosnia and Croatia Dr. Benedek has deployed to Cuba, Iraq, and Kuwait in conjunction US Military Operations in those countries. Dr. Benedek served as Consultant to the U.S. Army Surgeon General for Forensic Psychiatry from 2004–2008.
Dr. Benedek received his B.A. from the University of Virginia in 1986 and his M.D. from the Uniformed Services University School of Medicine in 1991. After Internship and Residency in Psychiatry at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, he was assigned as Division Psychiatrist, First Armor Division, Germany. From there, he deployed to the former Yugoslavia and delivered mental health support to U.S. and NATO Troops for Operation Joint Endeavor (1996). He returned to Walter Reed to complete forensic psychiatry fellowship training in 1998 and then served as the Assistant Chief of Inpatient Psychiatry, Walter Reed Army Medical Center. In 1999 he became Chief, Forensic Psychiatry Service, and Director, National Capital Consortium Military Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Program at Walter Reed, and he remained in those positions until joining the USUHS/CSTS faculty in 2004. Dr. Benedek’s awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service (3OLC) and Army Commendation (3OLC) Medals, the LTG Claire Chennault Award for Outstanding Military Psychiatry Faculty Member, and the American Psychiatric Association’s Nancy C.A. Roeske Award for Excellence in Medical Student Education. In 2002 he received the U.S. Army Surgeon General’s “A” Proficiency Designator, and received the Order of Military Medical Merit in 2009.
Dr. Benedek has authored or co-authored over 200 scientific publications, and has presented on numerous aspects of military, disaster, and forensic psychiatry at regional, national, and international professional conferences. He has served on the American Psychiatric Association’s Committee on Confidentiality, was a consultant to the Association’s Practice Guideline for the treatment of Acute Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder work-group in the development of its 2004 practice guideline, and was also lead author on the 2009 guideline update. Dr. Benedek has led several ongoing clinical and epidemiological studies. He previously Directed the National Capital Area Integrated Clinical Study Site within the INTRuST Clinical Consortium for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury and is the USUHS site lead investigator for the Soldier Health Outcomes Study-B (SHOS-B) arm of the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers-Longitudinal Study (ARMY STARRS-LS). He is also a member of the Military and Veterans Committee of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. Prior to his return to USU in 2017, he Directed the Center for Forensic Behavioral Sciences at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Dr. Benedek stepped down as Department Chair in 2023 to focus on other interests including neuroscience research, optimizing the professional practice in military operational settings, and forensic psychiatry. He has recently been asked to assume responsibilities of STARR-LS Principle Investigator for the USUHS site.
Visit ResearchGate for a list of Dr. Benedek’s publications.