John Schaeffer, D.O.

Dr. Schaeffer is originally from southern California.  He attended UCLA, where he earned both B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemical engineering.  From there he moved to Des Moines, Iowa to attend the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences, graduating in 1984.  It was in Iowa that he first met Phyllis Sapienza, his lab partner, to whom he was married in 1983.  After medical school he completed a medical internship in Allentown, PA and then a neurology residency at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia.  He is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.  He co-founded a busy neurology group practice in Las Vegas and remained there until 2005.  He also served as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Nevada’s School of Medicine and participated in a large number of clinical studies.  These studies mostly related to peripheral neuropathy, headache disorders and movement disorders, though he is interested in all aspects of neurology.

His move to Missoula was precipitated by a longing to live in a more family-oriented community and to be closer to the outdoor activities enjoyed by the entire family, which now also includes four children.  Together they enjoy a variety of team sports, hiking, camping, fishing and outdoor photography.