About the Author

Dr. Birnbaum has been a practicing rheumatologist for 20 years. He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and received his medical degree from the Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Birnbaum is the only physician in this country who is trained as an internist, neurologist, and as a rheumatologist. He completed his neurology residency at Mount Sinai Hospital, internal medicine residency at Jacobi Medical Center, and a rheumatology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He was then named an American College of Rheumatology Distinguished Fellow.

His early career was spent as a faculty member in the Division of Rheumatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. During this time, he pioneered a unique Neuro-Rheumatology Clinic, caring for patients with complex neurological complications of rheumatic diseases. He also served as an Associate Director of the Johns Hopkins Jerome L. Greene Sjogren’s Disease Center. He has received prestigious research grants funded by the National Institute of Health. He is the author of more than 30 manuscripts and book chapters, published in renowned journals such as Arthritis Rheumatology, Arthritis Care and Research, Medicine, Neurology, and the American Journal of Ophthalmology. He has been a featured speaker at grand rounds at many academic research institutions and delivered talks at the most prestigious national and international meetings in rheumatology. He moved to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in 2020 and is currently an Associate Professor in the Division of Rheumatology. He also serves as Division Chief of Rheumatology at UPMC Mercy Hospital. His primary role is as a clinician-educator. He has taught and mentored more than 100 trainees at diverse levels of training. He has a passion for many sports, including basketball, swimming, and running. He particularly enjoys sharing these activities with his family. He lives in Wexford, Pennsylvania with his wife and three children.