David J. Berler, MD

David J. Berler, MD, is a general surgeon who is board certified by the American Board of Surgery. He received his medical education at NYU School of Medicine and thereafter pursued a residency in General Surgery at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, where he served as chief resident and was awarded the David A. Dreiling Award for Excellence in Scholarly Endeavors upon his graduation in 2018.

During his time at Mount Sinai, Dr. Berler was heavily involved in various national surgical societies including the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), serving with other experts on committees and partaking in the formulation of consensus guidelines in the workup and management of surgical diseases. He also published several review articles and book chapters in surgical texts during this time. Dr. Berler then relocated to Dallas, Texas, for fellowship training in minimally invasive, advanced gastrointestinal, and bariatric surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Berler is experienced in and advocates for minimally invasive, and specifically robotic, surgical approaches whenever feasible. Such technology allows for superior visualization of the surgical field and facilitates recovery for patients by decreasing postoperative pain and shortening the time to return to work and normal daily activities. He specializes in acute care/emergency, advanced gastrointestinal, and hernia repair surgeries.

Dr. Berler enjoys teaching and training the future surgeons of our community. To that end, he participates regularly in graduate medical education, surgical simulation, and provides teaching and mentorship opportunities to the surgical residents and medical students who rotate through the Department of Surgery at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center. He has special interests in surgical innovation and technology as well as in surgical quality improvement and value analysis. In his spare time, Dr. Berler enjoys the outdoors and is a budding pianist.

Philosophy of Care:

Dr. Berler’s care philosophy is rooted in the shared decision making model, and he closely collaborates with patients in order to help them accomplish their individualized goals. He values and respects the relationships that can be developed with patients and their families, and finds fulfillment in the trust patients place in him at a difficult and stressful point in their lives. He brings this supportive outlook to his practice to ensure an optimistic, confident, and comfortable process for all patients.