Member Spotlight: Dr. Jeffrey Davies
Emergency Medicine & Medical Leadership in Ventura County
In the latest installment of the VCMA Member Spotlight, we sat down with Dr. Jeffrey Davies, an Emergency Physician and Medical Director for St. John’s Hospitals in both Oxnard and Camarillo. A former VCMA President, Dr. Davies shared insights into his multicultural upbringing, his diverse professional path, and his unwavering commitment to medical advocacy.
A Journey Across Continents and Careers
Dr. Davies’ story begins with his mother, a nurse from Phuket, Thailand, who moved to Chicago during a nursing shortage in the 1970s. There, she met his father, an architect and Army veteran. Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Dr. Davies was immersed in a "culmination of cultures," spending summers on his father’s family farms in North Dakota and his school days in the hallways of the hospital where his mother worked.
Before medicine, Dr. Davies was a quintessential "jack of all trades." His early work ethic was forged through a variety of roles:
- Neighborhood Entrepreneur: Mowing lawns at age eight.
- Caddie: Carrying bags at local golf courses, where he first shadowed physician mentors.
- Service & Clinical Work: Working at Dunkin' Donuts, tutoring, and serving as a hospital specimen carrier and registration clerk.
Education and Dual Boarding
Dr. Davies attended Touro University for medical school, a choice he credits with fostering his leadership skills. He pursued a unique dual residency at Michigan State, becoming board-certified in both Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine.
"I wanted the relationship with patients and the focus on lifestyle medicine from Family Practice, but I also loved the intensity of treating sick patients in the ER," he explains.
Finding a Home in Ventura County
Though he initially considered positions in Los Angeles and Chicago, Dr. Davies moved to Ventura County in 2011 to be closer to his wife’s family. Over the last 16 years, he has become a fixture in the local medical community, citing the "sunshine tax" as a small price to pay for the area's culture and outdoor lifestyle.
Advocacy and Leadership
Encouraged by mentors like Dr. Lynn Jeffers, Dr. Davies became heavily involved in the VCMA and the CMA. He emphasizes that physician involvement in politics is not just about "boring resolutions"—it is about protecting the profession.
Advice for the Next Generation
Despite the "bad rap" medicine can sometimes receive, Dr. Davies remains deeply optimistic. For young physicians, he offers three pillars of advice:
- Prioritize Self-Care: "You have to take care of yourself to take care of others." He advocates for a dedicated day of rest and finding balance through exercise and family.
- The Reward is Human: No other job offers the same reward system of touching lives and caring for people at their most vulnerable.
- Just Show Up: Success is often about the discipline of showing up—to meetings, to the gym, and for your colleagues—even when you’re exhausted.
Fun Fact: In his college years, Dr. Davies was a finalist on the MTV dating show Singled Out with Jenny McCarthy!
