Dr. David Westra is a board-certified neurosurgeon at Ventura Neurosurgery in Ventura, California. Raised in Tucson, Arizona, Houston, Texas, and Santiago, Chile, where he became fluent in Spanish, Dr. Westra earned an honors degree in chemical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and his medical degree with highest honors from the University of Texas at Houston Medical School. His exposure to neurosurgeons at MD Anderson Cancer Center inspired his career in neurosurgery. He completed his residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center, gaining expertise in minimally invasive spine surgery, cerebrovascular surgery, and neuro-oncology, along with conducting research on hyperbaric oxygen therapy for brain injuries. Following a chief residency year, he completed a minimally invasive neurosurgery fellowship at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute in Seattle, specializing in pituitary, endoscopic, functional, and complex spinal surgery. Joining Ventura County Neurosurgical Associates in 2010, Dr. Westra serves on the surgery committee at Community Memorial Hospital and is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the California Association of Neurological Surgeons.
