Biography


Dr. Thom is a family medicine physician and PhD-trained epidemiologist, who has over 30 years of experience in clinical care, research and teaching, primarily at Stanford and at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). Over the course of his career, Dr. Thom has conducted over 20 studies, in the areas of cardiovascular disease, women’s health, the doctor-patient relationship and on health coaching for patients with chronic disease. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed, original research articles and over a dozen book chapters and has presented his work at numerous national and international meetings. Dr. Thom recently served as the Vice Chair for Research in the UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine from 2015 until his retirement from UCSF in 2018.

In addition to teaching medical students and residents, Dr. Thom has been a research and/or career mentor to over 50 students, residents, fellows and junior faculty members. He served as a core faculty member for the UCSF Primary Care Research Fellowship Program from 2014 to 2018.

Dr. Thom is currently a Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Primary Care and Population Health at Stanford. He provides clinical care and teaches medical students at the Stanford Family Medicine clinic. As a family physician, Dr. Thom diagnoses and treats a wide range of conditions, provides preventive care for patients of all ages, and performs a variety of office procedures.

Professional Summary


Professional Education
  • Medical Education: University of California San Diego School of Medicine (1983) CA
  • PhD, University of Washington School of Public Health, Epidemiology (1991)
  • MPH, University of Washington School of Public Health, Epidemiology (1989)
  • Board Certification: American Board of Family Medicine, Family Medicine (1986)
  • Residency: Santa Rosa Family Practice (1986) CA
  • AB, Stanford University, Human Biology (1979)

Publications

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may have access to the latest, advanced clinical trials.

Open trials refer to studies currently accepting participants. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but may open in the future.


Practice Locations


Stanford Primary Care in Palo Alto Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto, CA

211 Quarry Road

Palo Alto , CA 94304

(650) 498-9000

Make An Appointment More Clinic Information » Getting Here »

Patient Ratings

(161 Ratings)

Overall Rating
4.7/5

View Ratings by Category

4.8/5
Friendliness
Friendliness/courtesy of the care provider
4.7/5
Explanations
Explanations the care provider gave you about your problem or condition
4.7/5
Listens
Concern the care provider showed for your questions or worries
4.7/5
Care provider's efforts to include you in decisions about your care
Care provider's efforts to include you in decisions about your treatment
4.6/5
Recommended to others
Likelihood of your recommending this care provider to others
5.0/5
Wait times
Wait time at clinic (from arriving to leaving)

How Our Ratings Work

The Patients Ratings and comments are gathered from our Patient Satisfaction Survey and displayed in their entirety.

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Patient Reviews

(148 reviews)

Thorough discussions on all medical concerns.
I trust Dr. Thom completely
My wife and I are very comfortable with Dr Thom as we feel he is very knowledgeable and confident in helping us.
Always a pleasure
Dr. Thom is always very helpful and really cares about my health
The care Stanford gives has been excellent
Dr Thom is the best--thorough, a good listener, sensitive to his patients' concerns.
Dr. Thom has been my PCP for years. He is wonderful. He knows and remembers my medical history, takes the time to ask questions and listen for answers. He is collaborative in my health care. He is clinically excellent. He cares. Thank you to Dr. Thom and SHC!
amazing, kind, responsive, caring, good leader of his team.
He did extra research, which was greatly appreciated.
Everything was perfect
He is an absolutely wonderful doc
Dr. Thom is a great doctor. I've never had any issues with him.
Dr David is good that's all I have to say thank you have a blessed day
Dr Thom is bety thorough..
I very glad to Dr Thom in all respect.
Thx good session
as usual Dr. Thom. Attentive, fast, to the point.
Dr Thom is excellent! Well-informed, and always ready to help.
I have no problems with Dr. Thom. He answered all my questions very clearly and I enjoy talking to Dr. Tham.
Very helpful
Dr Thom is excellent
Attentive and thorough
Dr. Thom is very responsive, always gets back to us timely. He is an excellent doctor, very knowledgeable, listening to us and gives good advice and excellent primary patients cares…Five Star Rating..
Dr Thom was thorough, friendly, and his nurse gave me my flu shot as well as my required tetanus shot!
Dr. Thom has been my PCP since I became a patient with SHC. I’m in my 60’s and have had many PCP’s over the years - in different states and with different healthcare organizations. Dr. Thom is one of the very best. He treats me like a partner in my healthcare decisions, he listens and asks questions. I don’t feel rushed even though I know he is very busy. I trust his clinical excellence and expertise. Dr. Thom is thorough and kind. I’m very grateful for him.
Dr Thom is so kind and helpful. He answers all my questions with clarity and patience.
Very good
Great visit. Thx.
Good listener and caring Doctor.
Thanks Dr. Thom for the excellent support. It is very much appreciated.
Dr Thom is excellent
Dr Thom is a very caring doctor who takes time to listen to all issues and provide guidance. Also the 2 nurses that greeted and prepared me for the visit, taking vitals and also giving tetanus and shingles shots, were excellent. Thank you for providing such great people and great care!
Very knowledgable and thorough! Great visit and feel relieved!
All good
Through and very comforting.
I have the utmost confidence in Dr. David Thom. Since I have been his patient I have less anxiety regarding decisions for medical care. I am a difficult patient meaning I have multiple health issues. He has eased my mind and helps me understand what I need to do. I have great trust in him. He always answers my messages right away. I would feel very insecure if he was not my primary doctor. That's why I switched to him.
Good Doctor with professional expertise, experience and warm nice personality..
Dr. Thom's service is exceptional in detail and comprehensiveness!
Great Doctor Very Understanding
Dr. Thom is kind and gentle and he knows what he’s doing. Nothing replaces experience.
Dr. Thom is by far the best PCP I have had.
Dr. Thom is excellent. The time allotted for the appointment (30 mins) makes everything feel too rushed and requires the physicians to enter information into the EHR the entire time so that you end up feeling like they are talking to the computer rather than you.
Excellent doctor
He’s excellent. The first PCP I have worked with who is always on top of everything.
Pays attention to your needs and with much respect
I appreciate Dr Thom. Very understanding and able to help me
Dr. Thom has been my PCP for the past three years since I switched my medical coverage from Kaiser to SHC. Dr. Thom is the epitome of an exceptional doctor - he listens, asks questions, partners with me and explains things. Dr. Thom is thoughtful, thorough, kind, and of course, an excellent physician. I’m grateful for his great medical care. And for SHC.
SUPERB!
Very satisfied with my care under Dr Thom.
He listened well and understood, and he seemed empathetic about my problem. He asked questions. He took action that seemed appropriate to me.
A very patient and knowledgeable doctor
I had an excellent video conference with the doctor.
The doctor listen to my complain and try to help me to resolve
Exceptional care and timely service.
I really appreciate that he took time to read the literature around the treatment which I had requested for my keloid scars and also worked with me to customize the treatment for me.
Dr. David, Thank you very much for all you have done for me. I really appreciate that! Good bless you! María
He was very nice and attentive.
Dr. Thom is nice and explain things clearly.
I am grateful fir his care.
Has always been thoughtful and helpful.
Professional great attitude and concern for his patient.
Very good and caring
Listened carefully and compassionately. I felt that he is really trying to assist me in finding solutions to my medical situation right now.
Excellent doctor and was able to answer all my questions in a calm and methodical fashion
Very good
Excellent Medical Dr.
He seems nice
A very thorough doctor. Listens extremely well to issues going on.
Dr. David Thom is very professional knowledgeable. He is patient in listening and gives the best medical advice. I am very grateful to have Dr. Thom be my primary care physician. He is such an excellent doctor.
He is an excellent, very experienced and thoughtful physician.
Dr Thom instills a sense of calmness and confidence when you speak to him. Glad I started to see him.
An excellent, very thorough visit. Dr. Thom and his assistant were wonderful!
Dr. Thom is exceptional. I am very lucky to have him as my provider. There is literally no one better!
Dr. Thom is a wonderful doctor who is helping me deal with many medical and issues. He really listens and has help me immensely with my detailed care.
Thank you
Excellent, caring, compassionate, communicative doctor who really cares about me as his patient. Would highly recommend.
Great guy
Dr. Thom is very professional, caring. He has a calming effect, explaining complex information in a clear manner.
He is great
Dr. David Thom is exceptional. As a patient I feel heard, cared for, and prepared to live life to the fullest. He is wonderful. Thank you!
very good doctor, friendly and knowledgeable
He is very kind doctor that counts a lot.
Excellent Provider first class
Dr. Thom is very thorough during my office and video visits. He really cares about my health.
He listened very well and he is very responsive and kind. I’m happy to have him as my PCP
Dr. Thom always greet me with a friendly smile and knew who am I without questioning my identity. He pulled up my medical history and reviewed my past medical record and compared with my recent medical record to identify and explain the difference if there are any. He also answer and explain my questions. He reminds me if I have questions or any physical discomforts in the future I should contact him immediately. I thank you Dr. Thom and his team for looking after me for the year that I joined the Stanford Health Care system.
Very attentive, listens and I feel at ease.
Very sharp and to the point
I have had many primary care doctors due to my unique condition and moving around for my professional work. Dr. Thom is by far one of the best as he actually listens and understands my concerns and then works with me to come up with a plan I feel comfortable with. I have unfortunately experienced many doctors who just want to speak at you and prove they have a medical degree. Dr. Thom is the complete opposite and has invested a lot of time in understanding me and what my unique needs are. I strongly feel this approach is the only reason why I am making the progress I am.
Dr. Thom is an extraordinary provider. He is not only an expert within his field but the care he has provided to me as a patient is the best care I’ve ever received. When I became ill he listened to my concerns and symptoms without judgement, included both myself and my partner in care planning, and has consistently gone above and beyond to make sure nothing is missed. There is not enough space, time, or words to describe how wonderful he is. Thank you for taking care of me.
Great talking with him!
Very nice , knowledgeable and trustworthy
Excellent experience he understood my needs and also make suggestions for my care
Fun guy to work with.
David is very polite with a positive attitude and made me feel comfortable the entire duration of video appointment.
I would recommend him to anyone. I feel he listens to me well and answers my questions. I feel safe sharing my private information and trust his choice of medications; they have helped me deal with some personal health issues. I am thankful Dr. Thom accepted me as his patient after my first visit. I am soooo glad I am getting Stanford Health Care.
Thanks for your help and understanding!
Great doctor! Listens to my concerns and answers all my questions! I never feel rushed and feel he has always given me wonderful care. He has also accommodated last min appts.
Very good
Very thorough and patient. Thank you.
Thank you doctor Thomas I appreciate everything you do for me keep up the good work see you soon have a blessed day
ThankX Dr!
Dr. Thom is a very nice doctor and kind gentlemen... Appreciate his professional advise..
Dr. Thom is very attentive when I asked questions and very clear and knowledgeable in his comments and recomendatios.
Very good communication with Dr. Thom, both ways.
Top notch physician in my experience.
Dr. Thom is easy to talk with, rather than someone with a mask.
Nice man
Role model for current & next generation of primary care physicians.
Very helpful and communicated very well.
He is awesome. I like Dr. Thom.
Happy to have Dr Thom for my doctor.
Dr. Thom was a very kind person who cared about my health.
Thanks for your care
Dr. Thom was very understanding and helpful.
Keep up the good work Doctor David thank you so much for being there for me.
Dr. Thom is proactive, caring and thoughtful. He has never let me down, so I trust him. He's also sensitive to the way I like to manage my health and considers are of the variables regarding my issues. I feel very fortunate to have Dr. Thom as my physician and I'm grateful for his care.
David Thom was very kind and friendly doctor. He listened well to all my concerns, his voice was quite pleasant and energetic. I want to see and meet him again either viral or in person. I like him a lot.
Dr. Thom is one of the best family medicine doctors I have come across. He actually listens and then includes the patient in developing the care plan. Dr. Thom is not afraid of deferring to other specialists, which is greatly appreciated and makes me feel that I am receiving excellent care.
He is considerate and thorough. He is also punctual. Nothing to complain about him.
Dr. David Thom is very patient listening and he is so knowledgeable and provides us the excellent advice for us. He deserves thumbs up and 5 star service!!!
Very kind and intelligent doctor. Thank you so very much!!!!
Very knowledgeable
I always have a good experience with Dr. Thom. He is very patient and helps me with many issues as I am patient with lots of medical problems. He has helped me solve many concerns and gives me peace of mind in many situations regarding my health.
Promptly responded to all my concerned questions and also the lab follow up as well.
Thank goodness there are doctors like Dr. Thom. I am so happy I was able to be his patient. I have a complicated medical history and he has really helped in all of my issues and given me peace of mind. I trust him.
Care provider patiently listens to all the concerns and gives clear information for all the questions precisely.
Very attentive, listens to my concerns
Great experience. Dr. Thom is very helpful and caring physician. Goes out of the way to help. Very knowledgeable.
Very good experience
Dr. Thom is fantastic and I feel lucky to have him as my primary. I am a patient with a lot of medical issues and he has helped me try to narrow down some of my appointments with so many doctors because he really cares and is tops in knowing medical problems.
Excellent.
Dr. Thom is amazing. I am so happy he is now my primary. He is very concerned about my many issues and is helping me get it all in order to better my life.
Dr. Thom is fantastic and cares so much. I feel so lucky to have been referred to him. He is exceptional and I have many medical issues and he is helping me to cope and eliminate worries of dealing with so many problems with medical care. He even called me on a Saturday evening to ask if I was okay. I can't say enough good things about him. I appreciate him so much!
My app. was for yearly physical but the whole visit was about 15 min. He only listen to my heart and lung!! Nothing else!! Is this normal??
I don't even think he had read my chart. Spent most of that time fumbling with the computer. I will be requesting a new dr.
So nice to see me the same day my email was received. It was at the end of the day, so that meant everyone involved stayed late to meet with me.
Dr. Thom is a professional that closely listened to my needs. He took more time than I thought he would with me.
I have only seen Dr. Thom once so far; I like his calm and quiet disposition and the fact that he didn't rush the appointment.
Dr. Thom is great - so glad to have him as my new doctor.
"Best ever."
Dr. Thom showed a level of care and understanding that I have received from few. Thank you Stanford & Dr. Thom for the caring, understand & compassion.
My first visit with Dr Thom. Became very comfortable with him. Excellent, including follow-up. Recommendation of a person is not made based on just one interaction/visit.
Really appreciate Dr Thoms excellent bed side manner. He didnt rush my questions and I felt my questions were addressed thoroughly.
Dr. Thom is very detailed and takes his time listening. He was as concerned as I was that we treat the pneumonia correctly and in a timely manner. I was confident that he was taking me in the right direction. He was good at answering all our questions and explaining things in detail. In my and my husbands opinion he is an asset to the clinic.
I hope my husband changes to Dr. Thom - he's excellent.
I was delighted and very happy about my visit with Dr. Thom, whom I met for the first time at this appointment.

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