Dr. David Burchfield, a native of St. Augustine, is a graduate of SAHS Class of 1973. He lettered in football and baseball at SAHS as well as member of Key Club and National Honor Society.
After graduating, Dr. Burchfield received his BS in chemistry at the University of Florida in 1977. He went to medical school at USF (1978-1981) to study in the medical field of pediatrics where he received accolades for outstanding student in pediatrics. He did his medical residency at the UNC where he received a Resident Teaching Award. Dr. Burchfield proceeded to return to the University of Florida (UF) where he received a Fellowship in Neonatology at the UF and became an instructor from 1986-1987. Dr. Burchfield moved up the teaching ranks in his specialty of Pediatrics-Neonatology becoming as assistant professor (1987-1992) and associated professor (1992-1998). In 1998, Dr. Burchfield became a professor at UF being listed as one of the “Best Doctors in America”.
Dr. Burchfield’s accomplishments include receiving a grant to study the effects of cocaine in pregnancy; named to the first “Neonatal Resuscitation Program Steering Committee which set U.S. hospital standards for newborn resuscitation; awarded a grant to study proper dosing of epinephrine in newborns; awarded a grant to study effects of low oxygen on muscles of respiration; awarded a grant to study cellular mechanism for brain injury due to low oxygen in fetal life; and awarded various other grants to study different medications affecting newborns.
Dr. Burchfield is currently the Professor and Chief of Neonatology in the Department of Pediatrics-College of Medicine at the UF. He has been widely published and funded in two areas of study involving drugs of abuse in pregnancy and Neonatal Resuscitation. He served on the original steering committee for the Neonatal Resuscitation Program and Pediatric Advanced Life Support Program as well as the last 3 National Standards Conferences for resuscitation guidelines sponsored by the American Heart Assn. His recent focus has turned to clinical trials research and clinical interest in resuscitation, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and quality improvement. He is currently on the American Academy of Pediatrics, elected chair of Executive Committee for the Section on Perinatal Pediatrics, American Heart Assn Greater Southeast Affiliate Research Committee, NIH-NICHD Pediatric Subcommittee, and NIH-NICHD Loan Repayment Program.
David is married to Susan and has three children-Haley, Zachary, Tyler and a grandchild, Olivia.