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Navid Alem

Navid Alem

•Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care
•Section Chief, Acute Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care

Biography

Navid Alem, M.D., is Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology and Section Chief of Acute Pain Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care at the University of California, Irvine. Alem received his M.D. from the University of California, Irvine, where he was a Senior AOA Finalist, and completed his anesthesiology residency, pain medicine fellowship, and neurosurgical anesthesia fellowship at the University of Southern California. His clinical and academic work focuses on acute and chronic pain management, perioperative medicine, and the opioid epidemic.

Alem has held multiple administrative roles at UC Irvine, including Associate Program Director for the Anesthesiology Residency from 2018 to 2023, where he served on the Residency Education Committee, Clinical Competency Committee, and Program Evaluation Committee. He has directed the Acute Pain Medicine Rotation for anesthesia residents since 2016 and serves as Medical Student Clerkship Director for both acute and chronic pain medicine electives. From 2014 to 2016, he served as Program Director for the Perioperative Medicine Fellowship and developed comprehensive curricula for resident training in the Perioperative Surgical Home model. He has been recognized with the Faculty Educator of the Year Award three times (2014, 2015, and 2018) and received the Outstanding Patient Satisfaction Award in 2017 for ranking among the top six Press Ganey scores among all UC Irvine physicians.

Alem has contributed to medical education through peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and course development for both UC Irvine and external institutions, including modules for the University of London's Master's Degree in Perioperative Medicine and the University of Southern California's Master's Degree in Pain Medicine. He has presented at national conferences including the American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, and Society for Education in Anesthesiology, and has served on the University of California System Wide Opioid Curriculum Development Committee. His work on virtual reality therapy for pain management was recognized as a President's Choice Abstract Winner at the 2021 American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference.

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Education

  • MD, University of California, Irvine, 2008
  • BA in Biology, University of California, Irvine, 2004
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Distinctions

  • President's Choice Abstract Winner, American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference, 2021
  • Senior AOA Finalist, 2008
  • Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society Inductee, University of California, Irvine, 2002
  • Arise Award Nominee, Innovation, Virtual Reality Therapy, UC Irvine Health, 2022
  • Arise Award Nominee, Innovation, Perioperative Pain Clinic, UC Irvine Health, 2019
  • 1st Place Abstract Winner, Society for Education in Anesthesiology (SEA), Spring Meeting, Seattle, 2015
  • Faculty Educator of the Year Award, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care, University of California, Irvine, 2014-2015, 2018
  • Keynote Graduation Speech Selection, Graduating Physician Class of UC Irvine Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care, 2017
  • Outstanding Patient Satisfaction Award, Top 6 Press Ganey scores amongst all UC Irvine Physicians, UC Irvine Health, 2017
  • Top 20 Clinical Faculty, Tier 2 Reporting System, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care, University of California, Irvine, 2025
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Areas of Expertise

  • Perioperative Pain Management
  • Opioid Prescribing Guidelines
  • Neurosurgical Anesthesia Techniques
  • Acute Pain Service Models
  • Virtual Reality Therapy
  • Multimodal Analgesia Strategies
  • Interventional Pain Procedures

Recent Publications

  • Chiang S, Nelson A, Alem N, Yeung B, “Low dose naltrexone for treatment of severe hemochromatosis pain”, 2025. Presented at IARS and SOCCA annual meeting.
  • Tran M, Kinoshita A, Yeung B, Alem N, “Resolution of cervical radiculopathy in patient with severe aortic stenosis following transcatheter aortic valve replacement”, 2025. Presented at California Society of Anesthesiologists.
  • Strutner S, Alem N, “Use of low dose naltrexone in the treatment of fibromyalgia pain and amenorrhea: a case report”, 2024. Presented at California Society of Anesthesiologists (CSA) Annual Meeting.
  • Kinoshita A, Yeung B, Nelson A, Alem N, “Subscapular bursitis treated with corticosteroid injection: case report”, 2024. Presented at Western Anesthesia Residents Conference.
  • Strutner S, Alem N, Nelson A, “Use of low dose naltrexone in the treatment of fibromyalgia pain and amenorrhea: a case report”, 2024. Presented at Western Anesthesia Residents Conference.
  • Kinoshita A, Tran M, Yeung B, Alem N, “Dangers of cervical epidural in an uncorrected critically stenotic aortic valve”, 2024. Presented at American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference.
  • Abduselam S, Chang E, Yadegari D, Yeung B, Alem N, “False-positive urine drug testing result due to methadone/buprenorphine cross reactivity: a case report”, 2024. Presented at American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference.
  • Victor R, Alem N, Nelson A, “A case of atypical chest pain in the setting of possible coccidioides infection”, 2023. Presented at American Society of Anesthesiologists Conference.
  • Sandanwalia S, Nelson A, Alem N, “Patient education in portable peripheral nerve catheter management”, 2023. Presented at American Society of Anesthesiologists Conference.
  • Strutner S, Alem N, Shah S, “Efficacy of transversus abdominus plane peripheral nerve stimulator for refractory neuropathic pain”, 2023. Presented at American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference.
  • Strutner B, Alem N, Nelson A, “Treatment of refractory spinal cord injury spasticity and pain using epidural spinal stimulation”, 2023. Presented at American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference.
  • Schmitt K, Alem N, Nelson A, “Lesson's learned-acute pain service management of a complex porphyria case”, 2023. Presented at American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference.
  • Tafalla J, Alem N, Nelson A, “A case of opioid rotation medication management modality used for acute on chronic limb pain”, 2023. Presented at American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference.
  • Victor R, Alem N, Nelson A, “Counseling is first step in effective pain management for a patient with pseudomeningocele and multifactorial headache”, 2023. Presented at California Society of Anesthesiologists.
  • Yuh C, Allison M, Nelson A, Alem N, “Low dose naltrexone for chronic polyneuropathy and neuropathic pain: a case report of worsening neurologic symptoms after covid-19”, 2023. Presented at American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference.
  • Yuh C, Shah S, Alem N, Catabona R, Taheem Y, “Safety net policies may not be sufficient to prevent harm with PCAs: a case report of swiss cheese errors with opioid morbidity”, 2023. Presented at American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference.
  • Gonzales L, Schmitt K, Tafalla J, Nelson A, Alem N, “Applicability of virtual reality therapy for patients undergoing chronic pain procedures”, 2023. Presented at American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference.
  • Chang M, Strutner S, Togashi K, Nelson A, Alem N, “Atypical neuroleptic malignant syndrome in a patient with postoperative agitation and delirium”, 2023. Presented at American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference.
  • Strutner S, Mehrnia O, Alem N, “Refractory greater auricular and auriculotemporal neuralgias treated with peripheral nerve blockade”, 2022. Presented at American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Conference.
  • Chiang S, Alem N, Nelson A, “Improved oxygenation with right mainstem bronchus intubation in a patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome”, 2022. Presented at American Society of Anesthesiologists Conference.
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Contact Information

Email: alemn@uci.edu

Phone: (657) 579-7246

Address: 101 The City Drive So., Bldg. 53, Rm. 227, Orange, CA 92868, Irvine, CA 92697

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Last updated on 2/17/2026.