Dr. Brian Benson
Dr. Benson is a fellowship trained sport and exercise medicine physician with over two
decades of clinical and research experience in sport-related concussion and performance medicine. He is the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at the Canadian Sport Institute Alberta and Founder of the Benson Concussion Institute (BCI).
Dr. Benson completed a Bachelor of Physical Education (Hons) degree (Exercise Physiology), Master of Science degree (Epidemiology), Doctorate (PhD) degree (Epidemiology), Medical Degree (MD), Family Medicine Residency (CCFP) with an advanced certificate in Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM), and Sport Medicine Fellowship, all from the University of Calgary. He subsequently obtained a Diploma in Sport Medicine (Dip. Sport Med.) from the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine and High Performance Certification (Medicine – Leader) from Sport Scientist Canada. He has served and/or continues to serve as a member of several Regional, National and North American concussion and health safety executive committees, including the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) Concussion Management Committee, Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee (ADC) and Team Services Committee (Concussion), Own the Podium’s (OTP) Sport Medicine Advisory Council (SMAC), Sport Scientist Canada’s High Performance Practitioner Pathway Council, and Canadian National Sport Science / Sport Medicine Advisory Committees, Hotchkiss Brain Institute’s Traumatic Brain Injury NeuroTeam, Mayo Clinic’s Ice Hockey Concussion Summit, NHL – NHLPA Concussion Working Group (ex-officio), ThinkFirst Canada, Canadian Sport Institute Alberta’s Sport Science Committee, and the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine (CASEM) Sport Safety Committee. Dr. Benson holds a Research Assistant Professorship in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Clinical Assistant Professorship in Family Medicine at the University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine.
Dr. Benson has extensive clinical experience in the high performance sport system, including Head Team Physician roles with Luge Canada, Canada Ski Cross, Alpine Canada, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton, Wrestling Canada, University of Calgary Dinosaur Football team, Calgary Canucks Junior A (AJHL) Hockey Club, and several National Men’s Ice Hockey Teams representing Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, Under-18 World Championships, World Junior Championships, Canada vs Russia Super Series, Deutschland Cup, Spengler Cup, and Men’s World Championships. Dr. Benson has/had Sport Medicine Consulting roles with the Calgary Flames NHL Hockey Club, University of Calgary Varsity Hockey and Wrestling teams, Canadian Professional Rodeo Association, Skate Canada, several National and Provincial Sport Organizations, and is a current member of the NHL/NHLPA Second Medical Opinion Physician List.
