Thomas Hemmen, MD, PhD

Thomas Hemmen, MD, PhD, is a board-certified vascular neurologist. His expertise includes caring for patients with stroke, cerebrovascular diseases, and those who require neurological critical care. Dr. Hemmen directs the stroke center at UC San Diego Health and was instrumental in establishing the center as the first certified Stroke Center of Excellence in San Diego County.

Within the Department of Neurosciences, Dr. Hemmen directs the Stroke Fellowship Program. As a professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine, he provides leadership and education to medical students, residents and fellows.

Dr. Hemmen is the lead investigator for numerous clinical trials in cerebrovascular disease. He investigates the use of neuroprotection and reperfusion therapies after acute ischemic stroke, as well as stroke prevention, recovery and research in intracerebral hemorrhage. Dr. Hemmen also leads the cerebrovascular research and trial coordination center that conducts national and international collaborative trials and researches new cures in all areas of cerebrovascular medicine.

He completed a neurology residency at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, serving as chief resident. Dr. Hemmen completed a fellowship in stroke and vascular neurology at UC San Diego School of Medicine, and a fellowship in neurological intensive care at Philipp University of Marburg in Germany. He earned his medical degree from the Free University of Berlin. He is board certified neurology and vascular neurology.

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For more information, see Neurological Care and Stroke Care.