David M. Spiro

Dr. David M. Spiro is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics — Division of Emergency Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), practicing primarily at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, AR. He has previously held academic positions at Yale University and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), where he co-founded the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship and led initiatives to improve pediatric emergency care infrastructure.

Dr. Spiro’s research interests include judicious antibiotic use, clinical pathway development, non-invasive diagnostics (e.g., quick brain MRI, optic nerve sheath ultrasound), pediatric migraine management, and healthcare utilization in emergency settings. His work emphasizes evidence-based, efficient, and safe care for children in acute conditions such as appendicitis, otitis media, sepsis, and trauma.

His recent publications span topics in pediatric emergency care, including traumatic brain injury, appendicitis diagnostics, fluid therapy in gastroenteritis, and migraine treatment. These studies reflect a consistent focus on reducing unnecessary interventions (e.g., ICU admissions, radiation exposure), improving diagnostic accuracy, and optimizing treatment protocols in the emergency department.

Dr. Spiro has contributed to medical education through mentorship of fellows and junior faculty, authorship of book chapters and clinical guidelines, and public health outreach via media interviews and blog posts. He has been involved in simulation-based training and development of emergency management tools for outpatient settings.

Notable scientific contributions include randomized trials on rehydration methods and antibiotic prescribing, development of clinical pathways for fever and neutropenia, and innovative use of MRI and ultrasound in pediatric emergencies. He has also led philanthropic efforts to build a new Pediatric Emergency Department at OHSU.

Dr. Spiro completed his medical degree at the University of California, San Francisco, residency in Pediatrics at the University of Colorado/Denver Children’s Hospital, and fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine with an MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He has served as a reviewer, editor, and media contributor, enhancing public understanding of pediatric emergencies.