He’s the local dad who runs through Caruth Park every morning and waves as he shops at the St. Michael’s Farmers Market.
But this ordinary neighbor has made far-reaching contributions to the treatment of patients with burn injuries. Dr. Benjamin Levi devotes his days to caring for patients with complex reconstructive needs and developing leading-edge therapies for skin and musculoskeletal disorders. His introduction to this unique specialty came very early on.
“At age 12, I experienced an unfortunate burn injury to my leg,” he said. “I had surgery and ended up in a hospital for several weeks. I saw the impact that a surgeon and burn center can have, helping someone who is struggling with a difficult injury.”
Fast-forward to high school, and Levi took a part-time job working for the doctor who had treated him and was now a trusted mentor.
Levi gained first-hand experience by shadowing experts in the treatment of complex injuries and disorders in both clinical and laboratory settings while a college student. As the years passed, what had started as a personal connection solidified into a lifelong calling.
“I saw how research can improve and advance care for all patients,” he said. “So, not just helping the one patient in front of you, but potentially helping hundreds, if not thousands.”
After graduating from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in 2005, Levi completed his internship, residency, and fellowship at leading institutions across the country.
He was recruited by Parkland and accepted an offer to join the hospital’s world-class Burn Unit program in 2019. Today, Levi is Division Chief of General Surgery and Center for Organogenesis Regeneration and Trauma and Center for Mineral Metabolism at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
In addition to caring for patients from their initial burn injury to scar rehabilitation and reconstructive surgery, he leads a nationally recognized research program focused on developing new therapies in his field.
The fateful call seven years ago that drew Levi to Parkland also brought his family to Dallas. Arriving by way of a road trip, boxes and two children in tow, and thousands of miles behind them, Levi and his wife settled on a tree-shaded street in a neighborhood recommended by a new colleague: University Park. Here, they immediately felt at home.
“It was a warm community to move into,” Levi said. “People were really welcoming, and it just felt like it was meant to be.”
These days, in addition to solo runs, Dr. Levi is a member of a running group with many other University Park dads. And those weekly trips to St. Michael’s Farmers Market? They give Levi the opportunity to pay it forward when a neighbor is in need.
“Questions come up for anyone with a medical challenge,” he said. “It can be confusing, and it’s so nice to be able to help people in the community navigate the medical field.”
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