Seeking a Pediatrician in the East Bay

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Parent Q&A

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  • Looking for a pediatrician in east bay

    – Nov 5, 2022
    (5 replies)

    Hi parents,

    We are looking for a pediatrician for our baby due in January. Anyone have recommendations for someone in east bay (e.g. El Cerrito, Berkeley, Pinole areas are ideal).  We live in Richmond, and go to UCSF for prenatal care.

    Thanks!

    Nov 5, 2022

    We go to Dr Jennifer Dovicki in Orinda; she’s part of John Muir/UCSF.

    We like their clinic. It’s organized and efficient 

    Hi! We started with East Bay Pediatrics recently. We love the in-office experience. They are a bit slow responding to questions in the portal, but they are very nice. Two offices—one in Berkeley and one in Orinda. Overall good experience. 

    Where are you delivering?  We went with east bay pediatrics, it's right near Alta Bates in berkeley plus we live close by and it was super convenient.  Dr. Vo takes care of both our 4 year old as well as our 8 week old.  I highly recommend the practice.

    Kiwi Pediatrics is amazing. We love our pediatrician Dr. Salsberg, but the entire practice is great. 
    https://www.kiwipediatrics.com

    We were very happy with East Bay Pediatrics (2999 Regent St, Berkeley). We saw Dr. Miller but other Drs in the pratice were also reco'd to us by friends. The staff is kind and helpful. Great first vaccines experiences for our little one.

  • Looking for a Pediatrician - Small/Private vs Conglomerate

    – Oct 28, 2022
    (5 replies)

    I have been a Kaiser or Sutter patient my entire life and therefore only have experience with large health care providers.

    My 11-month old is now under my husband's PPO, so for the first time I have a choice between a smaller practice or Sutter/John Muir.

    I hear people recommending Berkeley Pediatrics, East Bay Pediatrics and other smaller practices.

    My questions are:

    1. For those of you who have experience with both big conglomerates and smaller practices, which do you prefer? Is it hard to get appointments, school forms, etc. with the smaller practices?

    2. Do smaller practices places charge for emails? I want to be able to email the pediatrician basic questions without being charged.

    3. What happens when you need Xrays, blood work, etc? Do I have to go somewhere else? Where? What if there is an emergency/after hours issue? The "all-in-one" of a Kaiser/Sutter is convenient.

    Lastly, if you love your (non-Kaiser) pediatrician, I would appreciate recommendations!

    Thanks for your help!

    Oct 28, 2022

    I LOVE E. Bay Pediatrics.  My now 15yo's baby doctor has recently joined, and she is GREAT!  They also have the BEST doctor for adolescents.  They do not charge extra for emails etc.  Labs are ordered, and can be done anywhere.  I found it easier, not harder, to work with them.  And better care.

    We go to east bay pediatrics for both our kids and love it.  Generally haven't had an issue getting appointments and our doctor is amazing.

    I feel like Berkeley Pediatrics is the perfect happy medium.  We started at UCSF with a family practice doctor -- in hindsight we should have chosen a pediatrician, because he seemed more comfortable treating adults than babies.  However, it was not easy to get in touch with him, which definitely seems like the downside of a big practice.  Our pharmacy gave us the wrong medication formulation for thrush and when we called UCSF, the first person we spoke to said it was fine to give our baby the powder, when actually we should have received an oral suspension.  This was just incorrect and caused us unnecessary stress.  Next, we went to GetzWell, which was very small and personalized but extremely expensive.  Finally, we switched to Berkeley Pediatrics.  We've been able to get appointments and school forms as needed and have not been charged for emails.  In addition, Dr. Franks is super amazing and actually responds quickly to emails!

    Our kids have been patients at Berkeley Pediatrics for the last 21 years, and we love them! Our pediatrician is Dr. Olivia Lang, but all the doctors there are excellent. There is nothing like a smaller practice for pediatric care. We've had excellent, personalized care and continuity, and the place is much cozier and less threatening than large medical settings. Well check appts. need to be scheduled far in advance, but for urgent care, they've always been able to fit us in quickly. We've emailed with follow-up questions without being charged. Fast turnaround for school forms. Yes, you do need to go elsewhere for xrays and labs - where to go depends on your particular insurance. There is an answering service if you have problems after hours.

    We absolutely adore our pediatrician at East Bay Pediatrics - Dr. Courtney Pickering. Although every pediatrician we’ve seen there has been amazing and I’d happily see any of them again. We email questions and receive a timely email response (no charge!) and have been fortunate to get same-day virtual visits when we’ve been traveling and needed quick advice. Couldn’t recommend them more!

  • Looking for a pediatrician in Berkeley

    – Aug 22, 2022
    (6 replies)

    Hi there,

    I'm expecting my first child this October and have begun the search for a pediatrician. Do you have recommendations for pediatricians within Berkeley area? 

    Thanks in advance!

    Aug 22, 2022

    We had our first child in May and have been very happy with East Bay Pediatrics (upon the recommendation of many parents)! Dr. Miller is our primary physician but have also seen Drs Oceguera, Handler, & Damon (https://www.eastbaypediatrics.com/our-doctors.html). If you deliver at Alta Bates, one of their docs will be on rounds and will come visit you & the baby in L&D recovery which I found made the process of getting our baby’s initial appointments very seamless. 

    We've been very happy with Dr. Ghaderi at Sutter Health on Milvia.

    We go to Berkeley Pediatrics, and I've been really happy with Dr. Michel. We've seen other doctors too for one offs, and they are all very knowledgeable and warm. 

    Dr. Ted at East Bay Peds. he’s got a great temperament with the littles and parents alike. many other good physicians there too. 

    Dr. Serena Way is in Castro Valley but we followed her there from Berkeley because she's so great. She's honestly the best. My kids love her and I'm so grateful for her care, kindness and compassion.

    We love Dr. Pickering at East Bay Pediatrics and have loved all the providers we’ve seen at East Bay Pediatrics. They’ve all been the right mix of calm and confident while putting all our new parent anxieties at ease. 

  • Pediatrician near West Berkeley

    – Jun 20, 2022
    (4 replies)

    Hello! We just moved to the area from Brooklyn NY and are looking for a pediatrician for our 3 year old daughter. We will be living in west Berkeley. Any recommendations for specific doctors would be much appreciated! Thanks so much!

    Julie, mom to S 3yo

    Jun 20, 2022

    Berkeley pediatrics medical group on Walnut!

    Dr. Woods and Dr. Learned are both our favorites but everyone there is amazing!

    We have been patients at Berkeley Pediatrics on Walnut St for over 20 years. I recommend any doctor there that is taking new patients.

    Kiwi Pediatrics is a wonderful community pediatric practice in Berkeley 

    Hey there, we love Dr Paula Brinkley at Stanford Bayside Medical Group - https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/doctor/paula-brinkley

  • Pediatrician Recommendations

    – Jan 26, 2022
    (4 replies)

    Good Morning!  My wife and I are expecting our first child in the coming weeks and wanted to work on lining up a pediatrician.  If anyone has any recommendations for anyone they have enjoyed working with in Berkeley or Oakland it would be greatly appreciated.  We are located in the Oakland Hills above Piedmont for geographic reference.

    Thanks in Advance!

    Jan 26, 2022

    I can't recommend Berkeley Pediatrics enough! All the doctors are amazing, the staff, nurses and medical assistants are all great. They are UCSF affiliated. The office is not remodeled but that doesn't matter; it's the care that's important.

    The doctors take their time with you, your appointments are not rushed. They really care about their patients. With that being said, pre-pandemic, there were times we would wait a while to see the doctor during our appointment. However, that didn't bother me because during my appointment our doctor wasn't rushing to catch up. When with the doctor, the doctor's full attention is on your child and the care they need. I also greatly appreciate their take on all preventative care. If something is going on and while it's probably nothing, they refer you to a specialist/seek testing immediately vs. the it's probably nothing let's wait and see approach.

    We personally have long term experience with Dr. Learned and Dr. Woods, but have seen the others on same-day sick appointments in the past. You can't go wrong with whichever doctor you choose.

    Our kids go to East Bay Pediatrics (https://www.eastbaypediatrics.com/) and the doctors are wonderful. Our primary doc is Dr. Tracy Evans Ramsey, but we've also seen Dr. Handler, Dr. Handelsman and Dr. Vo regularly and they're both fantastic. Before we had our first daughter we were able to set up a meeting with Dr. Tracy to make sure she was a good fit and it was reassuring to know her by the time our baby arrived.  

    Congrats on your little one! We’ve been very happy with Dr. Pickering at East Bay Pediatrics (and also loved the other doctors we’ve seen there).  Dr. Pickering has done so much to put our first time parent anxieties at ease while also being thorough and thoughtful with any questions or issues that came up. Would highly recommend!

    We love Dr Michael Linn at Stanford Children’s Health in Berkeley. 

  • Blue Cross Pediatrician/primary care Rec

    – Dec 13, 2021
    (3 replies)

    Our family is switching from Kaiser to blue cross in January. We're in Berkeley and would love a rec for a good pediatrician for our 2 year old and primary care physician for the adult members of the household. Word of mouth seems a good way to find good doctors so any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance. 

    Dec 13, 2021

    We love Dr. Nicole Learned ("Dr. Nikki") at Berkeley Pediatrics. My son loves going there, and I always find her care knowledgeable and her input helpful. https://www.berkeleypediatrics.com/physicians 

    East Bay Pediatrics in Berkeley is excellent. We have Dr. Vo as our primary pediatrician at the practice, but honestly, any one of the doctors will be great, including Dr. Evans-Ramsey, Dr. Damon, and Dr. Miller (whom our 2.5 year old has seen since birth). https://www.eastbaypediatrics.com/our-doctors.html

    For my adult primary care, I have Dr. Nebenzahl,, also in Berkeley: https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-doctor/dr-samara-nebenzahl. I've only seen her once for a physical as a new patient, but she comes highly recommended and has great reviews. Good luck!

    We love the doctors and staff at Berkeley Pediatrics. Lisa Kalar is our primary pediatrician. My kids always felt comfortable with her and she took great care of them for going on 14 years! 
    https://www.berkeleypediatrics.com/

  • Pediatrist recommendation

    – Jul 5, 2021
    (2 replies)

    Good morning.

    I'm expecting my first child and am looking for a pediatrician. Do you have any recommendations around the Oakland/ Berkeley area?

    Thank you!

    Jul 5, 2021

    We love Dr. Franks at Berkeley Pediatrics!

    I highly recommend Berkeley Pediatrics in north Berkeley. We have been going there for seven years now and have had an excellent experience. We also know a lot of other families who take their kids there and all have had a great experience. We see Dr Olivia Lang, but I think all of the doctors (most are UCSF-trained) are excellent. 

  • Private practice pediatrician and OB recommendations?

    – Apr 15, 2021
    (5 replies)

    My husband and I are expecting our first baby in June and are looking for recommendations for pediatricians who are in private practice in the East Bay or even SF. Also hoping to switch my OB care from Sutter at some point as well so if anyone has any good OB recommendations, I would welcome those. We are in Albany, but are willing to travel for good doctors. We are really looking for providers who take time to answer questions and who we can contact if needed with questions between appointments. Thanks for any leads!

    Apr 15, 2021

    We have a 2 month old and are loving Kiwi Pediatrics in Albany! Congratulations to you and best of luck finding the right care!

    Hi! Congratulations on your forthcoming little one! I cannot recommend Lizellen LaFollette highly enough. She delivered all three of my children, as well as performed a major myomectomy prior to my pregnancies. She has always taken my concerns and questions seriously, and closely follows all of the new literature on advancements in gynecological health. She is a powerhouse of a person! Her office is in Greenbrae (Marin), but she is worth the drive. If I moved out of state, I'd consider flying back for appointments. She is that competent.

    Good luck!

    My OB is Dr. Suman Veeragandham in Castro Valley. She has delivered both my babies at Eden. She is gentile and intelligent and experienced. I cant recommend her enough if you want down to earth care.
    In the same office as her is my son's pediatrician, Dr. Melinda Ragins. She is great too.

    I can't say enough good things about Dr. Lisa Kalar at Berkeley Pediatrics.   She is patient, empathetic, and communicative.  One of my children has serious long-term medical issues and Dr. Kalar has been a godsend in helping us navigate the world of specialists and ever-evolving treatment protocols.  She always takes the time to make sure we understand what's happening, and helps us think through the options.  Both of my children love her and continue to see her even though they're over 18 now.  

    We have had a good experience with all of the pediatricians at Sutter on Milvia. We have never felt rushed in any of our pediatrician appointments, and when I've had to email outside of office hours I have gotten a response pretty quickly. I also want to offer the advice to find someone close to home - there are a lot of good pediatricians in the East Bay, so there is no reason to go to SF or really more than a couple of miles from home. When you have an urgent situation with your kid, you do not want to have to go far. And even for well visits, there are so many in that first year, and life with a newborn is really hard, no need to add the stress of a long car trip with a baby who may or may not scream every time you put them in a car seat. We picked a pediatrician we can walk to and it is SO valuable. One time our kid hit his head at the playground and spent the whole drive to urgent care asking if he was going to die, and I was so thankful that it was a very short drive (he was fine, heads just bleed a lot so he was scared).

  • Pediatrician recommendation near Walnut Creek

    – Mar 23, 2021
    (1 reply)

    We just moved from Oakland to Concord and need to find a new pediatrician for our 6 month old. We were previously at Sutter in Berkeley with Dr. Geri Landman who was fantastic. Looking for a practice located in Concord/Walnut Creek/Pleasant Hill areas. TIA! 

    Mar 23, 2021

    Hi! I would recommend calling the office of Dr. Rush and Dr. Wagner. These two pediatricians are awesome, and the entire office is great. Here is the info: (925) 685-0843, Address: 91 Gregory Land Ste 15 Pleasant Hill, Ca 94523. 

    My daughter goes to Dr. Wagner and he's awesome! :) Hope this helps.

  • Pediatrician and Pediatric Dentist recommendation needed

    – Mar 17, 2021
    (5 replies)

    Hello parents/guardians,

    We live in Albany but are open to providers in Albany, El Cerrito, Berkeley, Kensington and Northern parts of Oakland.

    We had an amazing Pediatrician who went into early retirement.  The new doctor is great but her front office staff is incompetent, rude and untrustworthy - great combination!  We are looking for recommendations for a great doctor who has great office staff as well.

    Our child has been seen by dentists at Alameda Pediatric Dentistry since age 1.  They moved their office closer to Lake Merritt, so it's even further for us to get to. 

    Looking for great providers who are backed up by great front office staff.

    Is there such a combination anymore?

    Please help!

    Mar 17, 2021

    I love both our pediatrician and pediatric dentist! Though they are individual providers.

    • Pediatrician: Jennifer Miller (East Bay Pediatrics, they have offices in Orinda and Berkeley). She may not be accepting new patients though
    • Pediatric Dentist: Hercules Kids Dentistry, either doctor, they're both great. Located in Hercules.

    Hope they work out for you!

    We've had a great experience with Olivia Lang at Berkeley Pediatrics. We've only been seeing her for a few months with our baby but we are happy so far - the only issue is that sometimes we wait a bit to see her but we've liked Dr. Lang a lot as well as other doctors we've seen there.

    Our child has been seen by Dr. Lisa Swearingen since I was pregnant and the day he was born (Sutter East Bay on Milvia). She's great and is accessible via email as well, but also didn't rush our visits. She also is very practical in her stance, which we also appreciate since my partner and I have an extensive background in medical sciences.

    When our child was about 2, we took him for his first dental visit with Dr. Nick (Nicholas Ching) located in Albany/El Cerrito, and it was a very warm place! He had one other visit prior to COVID and will be going back for his next visit next month. Something else I like about this office is that they bill insurance first and then send us a bill (sometimes) afterwards so we aren't paying like $500 upfront for a child's dental visit. We really love both of these providers and feel that they are very good at working with kids and their caregivers =) 

    I feel the same way about needing great front office staff! We have been happy with Dr. Nick at Children's Dentistry in El Cerrito and the front office staff are competent and professional and there's low staff turnover.  https://www.kidsteethdoctor.com/

    Thank you everyone for your input!  Super helpful!

  • Pediatrician in North Berkeley

    – Feb 28, 2021
    (7 replies)

    Hi all,

    We are moving the next month from London and will live in North Berkeley. We would like to have a pediatrician at the ready just in case it’s needed for my toddler son. Is there one you can recommend? Could you please help me understand the health system as well? We will have insurance. Thanks in advance!

    Feb 28, 2021

    Berkeley Pediatrics is fabulous.

    Is your insurance through you or your partner’s employer? If so, I would set up a call with someone knowledgable in his HR to walk you through your specific plan and how to use it, especially if this is your first time dealing with US insurance.

    US insurance is very nuanced, can get complicated, and varies greatly across types of plans so getting generic responses on here might not be helpful - they may actually do damage if it turns out the advice doesn’t work for your plan. 

    We go to Berkeley Pediatrics on Walnut St. and love Dr. Lang. We've seen a couple of other doctors there and really like them. It's a sweet, family-oriented practice in an old house in Berkeley. The only downside is sometimes they aren't running on time.

    We have Aetna insurance. If you know what insurance you have, you just call either your insurer or Berkeley Pediatrics to see if they take that insurance. (That'll be true with any practice)

    We highly recommend Berkeley Pediatrics in North Berkeley. I have Cigna insurance through work and they accept it. All the doctors are great and they are open for a few hours on Saturday as well. They are connected to the UCSF Benioff Children’s hospital in Oakland, which has worked out great for us for tests etc. 

    Hi!
    My baby goes to Kiwi Pediatric and I love them
    You can find all the information on their website https://www.kiwipediatrics.com/

    I highly recommend Berkley Pediatric. They've been around for ages and really are wonderful. Our pediatrician is Kalar but she can be in high demand. We've seen several other doctors there though and all have been thoughtful, patient and helpful. It can be kind of a pain to get in with them at first, something about their phone system, I recall having a hard time getting anyone to pick up for new patients.... but it's very worth it to keep trying.

    Berkeley Pediatric in Berkeley has been great for us.  We have Dr. Katrina Michel, but have seen a few of the other doctors there as well.  We have been very happy with all the doctors so far.  

    I love Berkeley Pediatrics for my daughter. We see Dr. Michel, but I've heard nothing but good things about the entire practice. Do you know what kind of health insurance you're going to have? When you call them to set up an appointment, they will ask for your insurance info and let you know if they don't take it. This is a common practice, as they don't want their patients paying out of pocket.

    Can you say more about the questions you have about the health system? 

  • Seeking Info re Bayside Medical and Sutter Pediatricians

    – Feb 10, 2021
    (6 replies)

    Hi, all.

    We're expecting our first kiddo in May, and are trying to narrow down and pick a pediatrician.  My OBGYN is through UCSF and I've had a mixed experience; we're sticking with UCSF for delivery, but my husband and I are not particularly interested in the UCSF system/UCSF pediatricians.  I'm wondering if folks have thoughts/recommendations for either Bayside Medical Group or Sutter Health? 

    Of course, we'd like someone with a good rapport with kids, knowledgeable, etc.  We certainly don't want unnecessary medication/treatment and are on-board with caring for both physical and emotional health, but finding a staunch holistic provider is not an absolute for us; we definitely want to get all recommended immunizations.  Based on my experience with UCSF, one of my concerns is avoiding bureaucracy/miscommunication/poor communication/lack of communication from the doctor or staff.  We're also hoping to build a connection with the pediatrician (i.e. see that provider consistently) and not get bounced around a variety of providers - perhaps that is a pipe dream given how medical care functions today.

    Anyway, thoughts/recommendations/reactions welcome!

    Thanks, Lauren

    Feb 10, 2021

    We've had good experiences with Dr. Paula Brinkley at Bayside; our teenaged daughter has seen her the past couple of years. The office and medical staff also are warm, friendly and efficient, and in my observation have handled COVID precautions very sensibly. 

    We use Bayside pediatrics and it's been great! We see Dr. Katya Gerwein. We love her. We always see her unless it's urgent and she isn't in in which case we see another doctor (all of whom have also been great).

    The practice doesn't require on schedule vaccination but she said the vast majority of their kids vaccinate. I haven't asked about alternative medicine things (It's mostly not our thing) but it's definitely not being pushed on us. Katya has been great and there have been no beurocratic hassles at all. I love that I can easily ask questions on my chart and get a response too!

    Hello—our family pediatrician is with Bayside and we’ve had a great and consistent experience with them and their staff. All of the milestone appointments have been with our chosen pediatrician in the group and really only last-minute urgent appointments have been with other colleagues who were also wonderful. 

    My favorite pediatrician is Dr. Katya Gerwein at Bayside Medical.  I love her!  When we were required to switch our insurance to Kaiser, she was the one that I had a hard time letting go.  She definitely took the time to go over my concerns, and would ask about my well being which felt very important during the postpartum period.  Bayside medical also has a really good lactation consultant that I used for both of my children.  For all well visits I had my appointments with her, but for sick visits she wasn't always available.  My children felt well cared for at Bayside Medical. 

    I've recommended Bayside Medical group to others on this community. We have been exceptionally pleased with the pediatricians there. We moved briefly to Washington, DC, and one of the things I was so excited about returning to the Bay for was getting my kids' pediatrician back. We love Dr. Gerwein, but she's usually hard to book. We've had great experiences with Dr. Linn (male pediatrician) and Dr. Boal. The other doctors we've seen have been lovely, too. One of our kids has emotional/regulatory challenges, and I've always admired how unjudgmental and supportive of our kids the doctors have been. Cannot recommend them enough. Their practice is extremely well managed, as well. Q is one of the front desk people, and I love interacting with her. The physician assistants are warm and caring and remember the kids. 

    Thank you, everyone, for your replies! We really appreciate your thoughts and experiences (and you taking the time to post!!).

  • Pediatrician

    – Jan 17, 2021
    (7 replies)

    Hi Moms! My family and I relocated to the area from Cambridge, MA just before the holidays. We have a 19 month and 3 yr old. Because of COVID we’ve been doing tele-visits with our pediatrician in Cambridge but really need to transition to a new local pediatrician. I’d be very grateful for any referrals. Our insurance is Blue Cross/Blue Shield Carefirst PPO but we’re not filtering our options based on insurance. So happy to be out here!! Tremendous thanks!

    Jan 17, 2021

    We love Dr. Katya Gerwein and the Stanford Children's practice (located at Telegraph and Ashby). Others seem similarly enthusiastic :).

    I highly recommend Dr. Lisa Kalar at Berkeley Pediatrics on Walnut Street.  We've been with this practice for 25 years, through multiple children and multiple complicated medical issues, and I've always felt listened to and supported.  Probably the most convincing testimony is that as my kids have gotten older they have formed their own independent connections with Dr. Kalar, and now that they are over 18, they still want to keep seeing her as long as they can.   We've seen most of the other doctors in the office over the years as well, for urgent visits, and they've all been lovely.  Also the practice recently affiliated with UCSF, which is super helpful if you have a child who needs to see specialists -- the pediatricians and the specialists can all easily communicate and see each other's reports and results online (which has made my life as Mom/Medical-Coordinator so much easier!).  The Berkeley Pediatrics office number is (510) 848-2566.

    We love Berkeley Pediatrics and Olivia Lang in particular. They have a great practice and a 24/7 advice line. 

    Hi:
    My daughter pediatrician is Dr. Salsburg fron Kiwi Pediatric. I think she is wonderful.
    I made my research 2 years ago when I was pregnant and Kiwi Pediatric and Berkeley Pediatric where the most recommended
    My stepson (11 years) goes to the Bayside Medical Group from Stanford Children Health and they are nice to
    We have Anthem Blue Cross insurance

    We've very happy with Dr. Nicole Learned at https://www.berkeleypediatrics.com/. We take our 6-year-old there. Another bonus: Dr. Learned is affiliated with UCSF, so if there is ever something more serious, she can refer to the UCSF docs, including the UCSF Children's Hospital in Oakland, and they're both using the same integrated medical record system, MyChart, such that you don't have to carry paper from one office to another.

    Dr Abbott and his colleagues at East Bay Pediatrics are great — the office staff is efficient, they are responsive to acute issues and it’s an independent practice, so the care is very personal. 

    berkeleypediatrics.com  1650 Walnut Street.  Agreeing with the posters above.  They have been there 45+ years, and they have good billing, front desk, procedures etc.  If you want a pediatrician who is male, they have a young doctor, Dr. Sam (don't know his last name).  We've seen Dr Franks for years and love her.  On-call we have seen Dr Kalar and Dr Learned and thought they were patient, explained things well, and had a warm bedside manner.

  • Pediatrician recommendation

    – Sep 29, 2020
    (1 reply)

    Hi- In search of a east bay pediatrician recommendation. 

    [Moderator reminder: reviews of 40+ East Bay pediatricians are here: https://www.berkeleyparentsnetwork.org/advice/pediatrics . If yours hasn't been reviewed recently, please do post a review! ]

    Sep 29, 2020

    Hi we go to Kiwi Pediatric with Dr. Elizabeth Salsburg and we love her

  • Seeking a great pediatrician with a good online portal

    – Jun 3, 2020
    (15 replies)

    Hi, I am sadly losing my Kaiser insurance and have to switch to a PPO. I have a baby who is under 1 and I'm looking for a fantastic pediatrician. My ideal doctor would be female, with a strong educational background, and someone who is truly interested and keeps up to date with the latest medical research. Obviously they gotta love kids and be able to connect with them. I also would appreciate if this doctor had some holistic/integrative leanings. Although I hads some quibbles with Kaiser, overall it was so much easier than having to navigate a PPO. In particular their software portal works incredibly well -- doctors are super responsive, it's easy to upload and access all medical records, it's easy to get my billing info. I find with smaller independent offices, this type of very basic administrative stuff becomes a HUGE pain. (Don't even get my started on filing insurance claims or figuring out what specialist to see and whether they are in-network etc). I'm currently considering going to East Bay Pediatrics... thoughts? Other recommendations? 

    Jun 3, 2020

    Berkeley Pediatric Medical Group (BPMG) on Walnut St.has a portal and good billing/organization.  But they do require the standard immunization schedule, I believe, not sure if that is part of what you are looking for.

    East bay pediatrics, yes!

    Our Dr. is Dr. Sarah Handelsman, but we have dealt with many of them as our kid has grown up (from age 1 to college age now).  Absolutely recommend.  Wish I could find a doctor as good for myself!  We also like Dr. Damon, because we like to ask lots of questions and get detailed answers, but everyone has a different style. 

    I've been really happy with Berkeley Pediatrics so far. They are part of the UCSF system, so use MyChart for billing, contacting your pediatrician, etc. My baby has been healthy, so we haven't had any experience getting referrals for specialists, but am a huge fan of Dr. Michel. She is very engaging with my daughter, clearly loves children, and seems pretty up to date on the latest research (based on my googling of things, lol). 

    My husband generally is skeptical of people, and even he likes Dr. Michel, so maybe that's helpful?

    My 5 mo sees Dr. Kalar at Berkeley Pediatrics. We are thrilled with the care she has provided our son and have had excellent experiences with other doctors at the practice as well.

    Our whole family has used One Medical for years, and my three-year-old has had pediatricians there his whole life. They do a great job with virtual care and I’ve been really happy with the pediatricians as well.

    My two daughters (now 20 and 24) highly recommend Dr Petra Landman, Pediatric Medical Group, (510) 204-5600, at 2500 Milvia St, Berkeley. She’s fantastic. 

    My three kids have been cared for wonderfully by Dr. Julia Damon at East Bay Pediatrics for over 10 years. Their portal is easy and convenient to obtain records; easy to get to their two locations in Berkeley and Orinda. Never had issues with billing or lack of responsiveness. 

    We are with Berkeley Pediatrics and really like them! They are connected with UCSF, and the my chart portal is easy to use. They have been very responsive with our health questions and convey between regular appointments.

    I really like Geri Landman at Sutter Health. I’m not sure about holistic/integrative leanings, but she fits the rest of your description. Our 3-month old son has seen her since birth, and she answers all our questions very quickly and thoroughly, both in person and on the online platform.

    We see Sarah Handelsman at East Bay Pediatrics and love her. Our daughter is almost 8 months old and although she wasn’t following her growth curve quite as expected from birth to about 5 months, Dr. Handelsman was always calming and rational, never intervening unless absolutely necessary. Turns out our daughter wasn’t too patient with nursing and her weight turned around with bottle feeding after I went back to work. East Bay Peds is not technologically advanced and their offices are not fancy, but they have been easy to work with and the care is great so far. 

    I can't speak highly enough of Juliana Damon at East Bay Pediatrics. Our daughter has been in her care for seven years and we have been greatly relieved to have a physician and practice that we trust and find easily accessible. 

    I have experience with both EB Peds and Kaiser, and I think you will probably be disappointed with EB Peds' online portal, relative to Kaiser. But it does exist, and they have improved a lot over the years. They are definitely the easiest PPO practice I've ever had to deal with (I'm 46 and have been self-insured my entire adult life, so I understand your concerns).

    What EB Peds does have is terrific doctors. My kids see Tracy Evans-Ramsey, who is wonderful, caring, and takes her time with the kids. We've also had good experience on sick visits with Dr. Handelsman and Dr. Miller. I think they generally follow the AAP guidelines, so... not sure how into holistic/integrative medicine they are. But call the receptionist and ask if any of the docs are into that... it's a big practice. Good luck!

    We have been very happy with Sutter on Milvia

    I second the recommendation for Berkeley Pediatrics.  Lisa Kalar has been wonderful with my kids (both now young adults still in her care), and we've seen most of the other doctors over the years (inevitably the day a child has an urgent issue and needs to be seen right away, it's on Dr. Kalar's day out of the office) and they were all lovely too.  No one there is ever rushing us through an appointment or pushing unwanted antibiotics on us -- quite the opposite.  When we were agonizing about putting a child on the intense medication a specialist recommended, Dr. Kalar helped us think it through and supported our decision to try a strict diet regiment first.  I really can't recommend her highly enough.

    For the administrative side of things, the office has joined the UCSF network so they now use UCSF's online interface through MyChart, which works similarly to what you're describing at Kaiser.  Everything is there and accessible, and if you're seeing specialists through UCSF (as we do for one of our children) it all shows up in the same place which is convenient.  But even before this change, the office was always responsive and in twenty four years I've never had trouble with records or billing or anything like that, and they only refer us to specialists in our insurance network.  

    Thank you all so much for all these recs! I got some good leads here and am all set. Thanks to whoever noted about the immunization issue... absolutely DO want immunizations to be required and made sure of that.

  • Pediatrician in Berkeley

    – Apr 21, 2020
    (5 replies)

    Hi,

    I'm looking for Pediatrician recommendations for my 1-year-old who accept Anthem Blue Cross of California PPO in Berkeley.

    Thanks,
    Praneeth

    [Moderator Note] all the Berkeley pediatric practices have numerous reviews here: https://www.berkeleyparentsnetwork.org/advice/berkeley-pediatricians

    Apr 21, 2020

    We are very happy with Dr. Karen Schiffman. She is always very straightforward, upfront, and honest. You can check with her if they take your insurance.

    We go to east bay pediatrics and see Dr. Miller (although all of the doctors are wonderful) and they accept Anthem Blue Cross.

    Hi Praneeth,

    My name is Sandy.  I'm a mom of a one year old.  Our pediatrician is Dr. Annemary Franks at Berkeley Pediatrics.  Dr. Franks is a very warm, caring and understanding doctor.  I highly highly recommend her.  Here are some examples of her being one of a kind:

    a. at the hospital after I delivered the baby, she came for a well visit and knew that I was having an emotional day, she hugged me without asking me too much

    b. she's called me the day she received test results on my baby even if its 8 pm at night because she knew we would be worried

    c. she's always listened to my concerns with compassion and empathy
    Sincerely,

    Sandy

    We go to Kiwi pediatrics
    They are very nice and accept that that insurance

    Annemary Franks (our doctor) Berkeley Pediatrics. 

  • Pediatrician Referral

    – May 23, 2019
    (6 replies)

    Hello BPN! 

    I am new to the Piedmont area and am seeking a referral for a great pediatrician for my toddler, preferably a female doctor. Please let me know if you have any referrals to a good pediatric dentist as well. I'm willing to travel outside of my neighborhood, but closer is always preferable. 

    Thanks!

    May 23, 2019

    Berkeley Pediatrics is an amazing practice. Annemary Franks is my son's doc and I cannot recommend her enough. The entire practice is amazing. 

    We LOVE Dr. Katya Gerwein at Stanford Children's (Bayside Medical Group) in Berkeley. She is very supportive, factual and talks directly to the child. She has been so helpful after having a chain of terrible experiences at different Berkeley practice. We will be moving in a couple of months and she is one of our health care providers that I will truly miss :( 

    East Bay Pediatrics! We love all the doctors there. They have offices in both Berkeley and Orinda. 

    We love Dr. Amy Maidenberg!  It's very personalized care and her office is small and sweet.  I've taken my kids to her for years.  I really trust her judgment and my kids love her.  She's out of network, but I find the added price worth it for the value.  She is very reachable by phone and email, and super quick to respond.  She's on Piedmont Ave.  Good luck! 

    I see that you have a recommendation for East Bay Pediatrics.  We had taken our baby daughter to Dr. Damon at East Bay Pediatrics based on some glowing reviews here on BPN.   We were initially impressed with the practice  - doctors seemed nice, had a lactation consultant in office, didn't have to wait long, etc.  Unfortunately, at ten months, after I did a thorough review of our daughter's vaccine records, I discovered she had not been vaccinated according to the CDC/APA schedule.   I asked the advice nurse and was informed that the practice policy is to use their own schedule, different than CDC/APA.  This was also confirmed later by Dr. Damon.  You can read about it on their web page although it is somewhat buried beneath a statement that they do recommend the CDC/APA schedule: https://www.eastbaypediatrics.com/vaccine-philosophy.html.  The practice policy is to delay the 1st polio vaccine and 2nd Hep B vaccine for 6 months past the CDC/APA timing.  We were never informed of this even after we told the doctor that we were traveling internationally at 9 months.  By that time she should have been fully vaccinated against polio but had only received 1 of 3 shots. 

    East Bay Pediatrics also provides parents the option for an additionally  delayed/alternative schedule for vaccinations i.e. delaying 1st measles vaccination until 24 months and 2nd until 6 years (see https://www.eastbaypediatrics.com/vaccinations.html). This increases the chance that your child is in their office with other children that are not vaccinated. 

    We have a new doctor - Dr. Nam at Walnut Creek Pediatrics - that follows the CDC/APA schedule.  She was happy to do a phone interview with us and we were able to get an appointment with her the very next day to begin getting our daughter back on track with the recommended vaccination schedule.  At our first appointment with Dr. Nam we found her to be very friendly, professional, and thorough and expect to have a long and happy relationship with her.
     

    Yes- East Bay Pediatrics with offices in Orinda and Berkeley! We LOVE Dr. Sarah Handelsman and have had positive experiences with all the doctors there.

  • Pediatrician/Ob - expecting first baby

    – Apr 26, 2019
    (3 replies)

    Hi everyone,

    My husband and I just moved to Marina bay from SF, and expecting our first baby in June. Does anyone have a recommendation for a pediatrician in the area, in the Sutter Health network? Also interested if anyone has an Ob/Gyn they like?

    Thanks in advance!

    Shehla

    Apr 26, 2019

    BPMG Berkeley Pediatric Medical Group next the corner of Virginia and Shattuck in Berkeley.  They have a website.  We like Dr. Franks and Dr. Kalar but almost any of the docs are fine zi would guess.

    Thanks for the info! We ended up selecting Dr. Petra Landman at the Milvia practice for now, recommended by someone in yoga. I will keep the names below in mind too - just in case. 

    I very much enjoyed my OB on kid #2, Dr. Attia Kadri. She was particularly good in two respects: in handling follow up testing, when one prenatal test indicated serious issues, and in communicating efficiently with me when I needed to travel abroad for work. She is part of a large practice, so I ended up meeting many of the female OBs in the Sutter team, and was generally pleased. I love our pediatrician, Dr. Grace So from Berkeley Pediatrics, but do not believe she is taking new patients.

  • Seeking Pediatrician and Kid-friendly dentist in Berkeley

    – Apr 1, 2019
    (6 replies)

    hello!
    we're moving from San Francisco to North Berkeley this summer and are in need of a recco for a pediatrician and kid-friendly dentist in the North Berkeley/ Berkeley/Albany area. We have United Healthcare PPO and Delta Dental. 

    thanks in advance!

    Amy

    Apr 1, 2019

    We use Solano Smile as our pediatric dentist. We like the practice.

    We use Dr. Karin Schiffman for our pediatrician and Dr. Vivian Lopez for our dentist. Love them both. They both have great rapport with the kids, and are easy to talk to and very knowledgable.

    We see Dr. Katsura at Aloha Pediatric Dentistry and absolutely love the practice. They have a North Berkeley as well as Telegraph location.

    We love East Bay Pediatrics.

    Second the East Bay Pediatrics vote - they have two offices, one on Regent St in Berkeley (across from Alta Bates) and another in Orinda (pretty easy to get to from Berkeley), it's right off the freeway.  We see Dr. Jonah Schey, but he's moving to Boston in August.  We are SUPER bummed, but will switch to another doctor in the same office.

    Berkeley Pediatric Medical Group.  Annemary Franks or any of the docs.  You can google them, they have a website that shows all the docs and their backgrounds.

  • Looking for Japanese speaking pediatrician

    – Mar 16, 2019
    (2 replies)

    Hi, we just moved from Japan with our little one who was born Dec 26 2018. We are looking for a pediatrician here around Berkeley, does anyone have any recommendations for a Japanese-speaking pediatrician ? I thought I would ask, as that is the native tongue, and we are still learning English. Many thanks!

    Mar 16, 2019

    Hi Welcome to the US and Berkeley! Although I don't have any information about Japanese speaking pediatrician, I am an Japanese, and have been here about 20 years. My kids are 6 and 2. I don't know any Japanese community around here, but we can hang out!

    Congratulations on your new baby!  Dr. Yasuko Fukuda in San Francisco is fluent in Japanese.  Dr. Mika Hiramatsu in Hayward speaks some Japanese but is not fluent.  There's one more East Bay Japanese native pediatrician, Dr. Rei Masui, but I'm not sure where she is practicing now.  Good luck!

  • Seeking a Pediatrician - UnitedHealthcare - Berk/Oak

    – Sep 20, 2018
    (5 replies)

    Just got a new job and insurance - woohoo!

    I have UnitedHealthcare. Does anyone have a pediatrician recommendation? For a 3 year old girl no major health issues.  We live in South Berkeley, so Berkeley or Oakland.

    thanks!

    Sara

    Sep 20, 2018

    BPMG Berkeley Pediatrics Medical Group, the one at 1650 Walnut in Berkeley is great.  I believe they take United Healthcare.

    Not sure about the insurance but they take mediCal so seems likely to me

    My almost 3yo and I really like Paula Brinkley and her office group, in Berkeley 

    Paula Brinkley, MD - Stanford Children's Health
    2915 Telegraph Ave #200, Berkeley, CA 94705
    (510) 843-4544
    https://goo.gl/maps/Y8jwx1Ap9f92

    We also have UnitedHealthcare and live in Berkeley. We took our 3.5 year old to East Bay Pediatrics to see dr Courtney Pickering who was really sweet, understanding and caring. My daughter really liked her and so did we. 

    We have United Healthcare and we go to Berkeley Pediatric Medical Group (now called Sutter East Bay Medical foundation) at 2500 Milvia (Milvia and Dwight.)

    I have teenaged twins who have been going there since birth, and we have liked the practice.  Our primary doctor is Dr. Petra Landman, but we have also seen many of the other doctors when she is unavailable.  We have been happy with Dr. Landman.  She is very down to earth, seems on top of the latest research, and is very willing to consult her fellow practitioners for additional expertise if needed.  We also like Dr. Kowaleski, and haven't had a bad experience with any of them.

    I will just add a caveat that our kids have overall been pretty healthy, so we haven't had to use the practice for any serious health issues.  Mostly annual checkups and the occasional bump, bruise or fever.

    Berkeley Pediatrics. 510-848-2566. Every doctor there is amazing and we’ve been with them 20 years. 

  • Seeking a female pediatrician

    – Jul 23, 2018
    (27 replies)

    Hello,

    We are looking for a a female pediatrician for our daughter, who will be born in October. We live in Oakland, but are willing to travel east of the tunnel or further north for a caring and reasonable doctor. Any recommendations/anecdotes are helpful.

    Thank you!

    Jul 23, 2018

    Annemary Franks is amazing! She was a great doctor from birth to recently for our 22-year-old daughter. We loved the home visit a couple of days after she was born. 

    Dr. Patricia Chiang at Primary Pediatrics

    We love Lisa Swearingen at Alta Bates in Berkeley. She has been our daughter’s pediatrician since birth. As first-time parents, it was important for us to find someone who was not only highly competent, but also caring and a good listener. Dr. Swearingen met all of our criteria and more.

    Her bio page: https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-doctor/dr-lisa-swearingen

    Hi there! We LOVE Emily Caro-Bruce, MD at One Medical on Grand Ave. The scheduling is SUPER easy, every appointment is on time and the lab work is always a breeze. 

    Best of luck!!

    I've loved Dr. Karin Schiffman. She's the pediatrician for our 7 year old and will be for another, to be welcomed in Nov. Highly recommended, She's personable, takes time with the kids, and thoroughly explains things to parents.

    Dr. Shawna Johnson and Dr. Susan Goddard are both competent and lovely. Both are at Kaiser Oakland.

    We love Olivia Lang at Berkeley Pediatrics.  The office is well-organized and we've always felt that she has been generous with her time during visits.  My youngest spent 6+ weeks in the NICU, so the first year was tough and we were very grateful for Dr. Lang.

    We love Annemary Franks at Berkeley Pediatrics in North Berkeley, whom we've seen for 14 years.  We find her to be very sensible and smart, as well as warm and straight-forward.

    Can't say enough good things about Dr. Katrina Michel at Berkeley Pediatrics! She's wonderful, patient, attentive and 100% understands modern parenthood as she has two young children herself. Also, I find that I can almost always get a same day appointment if my child is sick (sometimes within 30 min - 1 hour). You can call their office to set up an in-person meeting with her before deciding. 

    We absolutely love Lisa Swearingen in Berkeley. She is incredibly responsive but not alarmist (I’m a first time mom and occasionally anxious) and takes a lot of time with us. She’s very sweet toward our daughter and takes a lot of time to explain EVERYTHING to us. Happy to give you more details if you want 

    We have Dr. Annemarie Franks at Berkeley Pediatrics who we love. They have mostly female doctors and the others I have met are great too. I highly recommend them. 

    My kids have been seen Dr. Robin Meezan (Summit Pediatrics in Orinda) since they were babies and she's amazing. She's down to earth, thoughtful, practical, funny, and develops a great rapport with the kids as they grow. She has two kids of her own so she totally gets kids and parents and is never judgmental. I've never felt rushed and no question ever feels awkward or stupid with conversing with her. Her office is right off of the Orinda exit (Highway 24). I travel from Oakland and it's usually a quick ride.

    We really love Dr Lang at Berkeley Pediatrics, she's very thorough and takes all our concerns seriously. My children, who are shy and introverted enjoy visiting her too.

    Dr Olivia Lang at Berkeley pediatrics, we go with her and also live in Oakland

    Check out Primary Pediatric Medical Group. They are in Oakland, Alameda and Castro Valley, and are a wonderful group! All offices have female pediatricians.

    My daughter has seen Dr. Sarah Handelsman at East Bay Pediatrics (offices next to Alta Bates in Berkeley and in Orinda) since infancy and we love her.  She is so warm and as my daughter has grown (she's now 10) Dr. Handelsman has geared more of her questions and comments directly to my daughter, even when I am in the room.  It is respectful, inclusive of me, but also teaching my daughter how to be engaged in her own health care.  Their office has a great nurse advice line, and good drop in hours for acute sickness.  My daughter has had a couple of very complicated issues and Dr. Handelsman tracks them and helps us problem solve. 

    We absolutely LOVE Juliana Damon at east bay pediatrics. Offices in Berkeley and Orinda. We first met her in the hospital when our baby was born and although we were initially with a different doctor in the practice we switched to her because she was so positive and caring and compassionate. She helped guide us through the initial stages of my son’s severe peanut allergy when he suffered anaphylaxis at only 6 months old (she grabbed the phone from the advice nurse, snapped me out of minimizing the situation, and insisted that we immediately go to the emergency room which was 10000% the correct call) and then referred us to an absolutely wonderful and highly renowned local allergist for specialist follow up. She is otherwise available for questions (when the advice nurse thinks she needs to be included) and an absolute pleasure to see at his regular check ups. She has such a positive attitude, is extremely supportive, and gives wonderful feedback on how well we are doing with our first baby!

    If you're with Kaiser, I really like Dr. Katrina Saba at Kaiser Oakland. She is very friendly and professional.

    We love Dr. Janet Perlman at Stanford Children's on Telegraph Ave. (btwn Russell and Ashby) - she is always kind and consistent, and takes her time. She gives our daughter a book to take home any time she gets a shot. She is also flexible on vaccination schedules, if that matters to you. 

    Dr. Chau-Lim is awesome. She is in Walnut Creek.  She's probably in her 60's.  Very bright, yet good with kids.  A but old school, including her office, but I'd give aesthetics to quality care any day.  We were with Kaiser and very dissastisfied.  She is located at:

    1822 San Miguel Dr, Walnut Creek, CA 94596

    all the best!

    We love Kiwi Pediatrics. There are two female doctors (and two male). They are so attentive to the kids and really care about them and our family. They have called in prescriptions for us while we are on vacation, they have stayed after hours to stitch up a head wound, we will email them pictures of rashes or cuts and they will tell us if we need to come in or if it something we don't need to worry about.

    I love that they give out bike helmets at the beginning of school to kids who don't have them, they give out glowsticks at Halloween so kids will be more visible to traffic, give out books so kids will read. They talk to our kids about nutrition in such a way that they take it to heart. They have two office, one on Alcatraz Ave in Berkeley (right near the border with Oakland).

    They are a fantastic group. I particularly love Liz Salsburg but all the doctors are good.

    You certainly don't have to travel through the tunnel to find an excellent pediatrician! They abound in Oakland and Berkeley. Try Paula Brinkley at Bayside, or probably any of the other female providers there. Berkeley Pediatrics is also good, but maybe that's too far.

    Annemary Franks BPMG Berkeley Pediatric Medical Group.  Or in the same practice, Dr Lisa Kalar.

    I second the docs at Primary Pediatric Medical group. Our daughter is 6 mos and we have been treated by multiple docs beyond our primary pediatrician (who happens to be male) and the entire experience has been fantastic. The practice is extremely well run. One of the best decision we made was choosing that practice for our child. She is very well cared for.

    +1 for Emily Caro-Bruce at One Medical in Oakland. She is amazing with my one year old and so responsive to email/texts. We feel so fortunate to have her as my son's doctor.

    Our family has been with Dr. Richard Oken of East Bay Pediatrics for 18 years.  He and every pediatrician in the practice have been beyond fabulous, beginning with day-of-birth care in the delivery hospital.   My oldest just had a leaving-for-college physical.

    With that said, I recently took my younger son to drop-in there for a sports injury, and we were attended by Dr. Tracy Evans-Ramsey (Dr. Tracy).  I was quite frankly blown-away by her manner and professionalism with both me and my child.  Though we have not worked with her regularly, I strongly urge you to check her out.

    +1 for the Oakland One Medical office!  We've seen Emily Caro-Bruce, Sarit Silver, and Kate Murray at that location, and all have been sweet and knowledgable.  Very reassuring for us as first-time parents!

  • Seeking excellent female pediatrician in Berkeley/Oakland

    – Apr 3, 2018
    (10 replies)

    Hello, I am seeking an excellent female pediatrician for my newborn in Berkeley or Oakland who takes Blue Shield PPO.

    Apr 3, 2018

    You should always call to make sure your specific plan is accepted, but we see Juliana Damon at East Bay Pediatrics  (offices in Berkeley and Orinda) and she is FABULOUS.

    We have Blue Shield PPO and use Dr. Lisa Kalar at Berkeley Pediatrics. We absolutely love her and would highly recommend her, as well as the practice. 

    We love Karin Schiffman. She's in solo practice. Her office is vey well run. I've never had issues with billing or had to wait more than a few minutes for an appointment. She gives you her cell phone for after hours. She responds to email quickly. She's very evidence based in her practice and takes her time with you. For a newborn your appointments could be 30 minutes or longer if you have questions. I love the solo practice aspect, but it does mean that if you have an emergency after hours you would need to use Urgent Care. I have three kids and we've only had to do that twice. 

    Dr. Katya Gerwein at Bayside Medical Group: she identified my son's physiologic heart murmur at week 1 or 2 and heard it whenever she examined him (she sent us to a ped cardiologist, who diagnosed the heart murmur), but few other pediatricians we've seen (we moved briefly across country) recognized it during basic exams.
    We also had positive experiences with other docs there, Dr. Boal, Dr. Brinkley, Dr. Perlman and (not a female, but I really liked him) Dr. Linn.

    their practice administration used to have some issues, but they've really improved immensely!

    I’ve been taking my son to Stanford Children’s on telegraph. We go to Dr. Brinkley, but I know all the other doctor’s are just as friendly. They also have an off hours number to call in case of an emergency, and will also squeeze you in for an appointment if you’re worried about something. 

    http://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/location/bayside-medical-group-berkeley?utm_source=local&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gmb

    I couldn’t recommend One medical enough. They have been my general practicioner, prenatal care, and now pediatrician. AMAZING! Offices in Oakland and Berkeley. 

    We love Kiwi Pediatrics. They keep up-to-date on best practices, can get us in when we need to be seen (including after hours for urgent issues), and have had us send pictures of rashes, etc. when we are traveling to let us know if we need to take the kids to a local doctor or if it can wait until we get back.

    We love Dr. Petra Landman at Alta Bates. Very respectful, takes time for any questions / concerns, sweet with kids. We also have Blue Shield PPO.

    Dr. Charles-Mo has been my daughters' pediatrician since they were newborns. We have weathered vaccines, sprains, new vaccine studies, flu, strep throat, acne, etc. throughout the  20 years with her. I trust her implicitly. We have Blue Cross now and had Healthnet in the past.

    My daughters are now in college and do not want to see anyone else. She said she can keep seeing them until 28 I believe.

    Berkeley Pediatrics Medical Group (BPMG) near Virginia near Shattuck.  We love Dr. Franks but everyone we have seen there is good.  They have a website so you can see the doctors profiles.

  • Moving to Berkeley 7 mos pregnant - seeking OB/GYN & Pediatrician

    – Mar 20, 2018
    (15 replies)

    Hey everyone, I am completely new here. My husband and I will be moving to Berkeley from Austin, Texas while I am 7.5 months pregnant (baby is due mid August). My top priority right now is to find a good OB/practice that can deliver my baby, and also find a pediatrician. I have good insurance that covers a number of practices, so if anyone can recommend their OB and pediatrician, that would be really helpful! Thank you so much!

    Mar 20, 2018

    We're with Kaiser, and I love my OB (Dr. Sarah Wilson), and we had a great experience having our baby at Kaiser Oakland. 

    Congratulations! I heartily recommend the very experienced and compassionate Kurt Wharton, M.D., and the great doctors at East Bay Pediatrics.

    Dr Duffy is my ob, she's great. A saw a couple other people from her office (the ones who happened to be on call during my labor and delivery) and they were great as well. Dr. Emmanuel was there for the actual delivery, and I liked her a lot. 

    Hi! I had some issues finding an OB/GYN who accepted my insurance, so in the last six months I went to three practices and really liked them all. I ended up with Dr. Jim Nishimine, who I really like, because he accepts my insurance (Anthem Blue Cross Gold Select PPO). The other practices take Anthem PPO's, but not select plans.

    To be honest, my favorite practice was the Women's Group for Health practice in Berkeley. Dr. Lilia Lozano is the head OB, but I only met with Kathy Kroger, the NP and had a really positive experience. Their office is very responsive and helpful, and they use very convenience online tools for communication and sharing test results. I went to their office in Berkeley on Regent Street. Good luck and congratulations!

    https://womensgroupforhealth.com/

    Good afternoon. 

    For OB, Sutter Health East Bay. Located on Milvia street. I saw a handful of doctors while pregnant but my main doctor was Dr Kadri. Delivered at Alta Bates. 

    For pediatrician, any of the doctors at Primary Pediatrics Oakland. We see Dr Bruce Horowitz but saw others in the hospital and recommend.

    Hope this helps!

    Emily  

    Check out the Sutter OB office on Milvia. Dr Jewell is amazing, and the whole practice is strong. They got me through a 48hr labor w/o a c section. Our pediatrician is in Castro Valley bc we don’t live as close to Berkeley now, so that’s probably not as helpful to you. 

    HI, I recently moved here too at 7 months pregant, I am with Dr Lilia Lizano, located next to Alta Bates. So far my experience has been very positive, I was able to get an appointment next week after I arrived and the staff is always very responsive. 

    I strongly recommend Dr. Carrie Duffy who is absolutely amazing, she is friendly, always takes time to answer all my questions and makes sure to give me opportunities to ask question even when she is running late. The practice recently changed their model such that they can't guarantee that your OB will be the one delivering your baby but there are opportunities for you to get to know others in the practice who may be on call.  Our pediatrician is Dr. Grace So at Berkeley Pediatrics and we love her. We feel she really listens to our concerns and is very personable and knowledgeable. 

    Welcome! I just had a baby a few weeks ago and loved my OB gyn practice (OB Gyn Partners for Health in Oakland). They deliver at Alta Bates in Berkeley. I worked with a few of their doctors throughout my pregnancy and was happy with all of them. My son has been seeing East Bay Pediatrics (offices in Berkeley and Orinda) and while it’s been only a few visits so far, I have also been happy with his care there as well.

    Dr. Kier VanRemoortere or Dr. Elisabeth Scheunling

    Anyone at this practice is great.  

    I gave birth in November.  Best of luck. 

    Berkeley pediatrics are AMAZING. For OB, I had a wonderful experience with Debra Levinsky, but she's not for everyone (very direct, not so touchy-feely). Whoever you get, make sure you deliver at Alta Bates. I too came to the Bay Area in my 7th month and at first the facilities seemed really outdated, but in truth it's a boon (private room, often a real bed for your partner too!) and the nurses are just beyond wonderful. They deliver dramatically more babies than UCSF and the other hospitals in the area and it shows in the quality of care.

    Another vote for Sutter East Bay Medical Foundation on Milvia in Berkeley. My OB is Dr. Ahsan, but Dr. Kadri delivered my baby two months ago. I also saw two other OBs three when Dr. Ahsan was out, everyone was fantastic! For Pediatrician, I go to the same office on Milvia and see Dr. Swearingen. I love the location because there is plenty of free parking and the building is new and clean. 

    I delivered with Lilia Lizano a few months ago, and I've had a very good experience with her both getting pregnant and delivering. She is probably in the last few years of her practice, and is therefore very experienced. We had a minor scare during my delivery that resulted in us needing a C-section, and she helped me confidently move through that decision and get my daughter out within 30 minutes. I also saw Debra Levinsky a while back, for what was ultimately unfortunately a miscarriage, so she did my D&C, and although she can seem a little gruff at times I can tell you she has excellent bedside manner when it counts. I use Berkeley Peds (Dr. Sam Woods) for my daughter, and all of the doctors there are great and rotate through Alta Bates for management after your baby is delivered. I loved alta bates, like another person said, the building is older but we got a private room and my husband got a real (albeit a little stiff) bed to sleep in during my 4 day stay after delivery. The non-breakfast food is pretty bad, but no place is perfect! The nurses there are just unreal in how great they are with the new moms, and they have a full staff of lactation specialists, so I got to meet with a lactation specialist every day I was in the hospital (so 4 visits!).

    Thank you all so much! This is truly so helpful and a bit of relief in a time when there are so many details with moving and planning. 

    I will be a new mom in a new area so if anyone is interested in getting together, please email me! I would love some mom friends on this next journey :)

    Just an FYI if you are interested in seeing Dr. Jewell at Sutter East Bay she is no longer with the practice. There are many other excellent doctors at SEB though (I am delivering in May) Dr. Van Ramoortere and Dr. Venkat are my two recs thus far. 

  • Pediatrician close to Rockridge

    – Dec 8, 2017
    (3 replies)

    Hello,

    My wife and I are expecting our first kids (twins) in the next few months and were wondering if anyone had a pediatrician they recommend? We live in rockridge so ideally one close to that neighborhood.

    thanks!

    [moderator note] there are hundreds of parent reviews of local pediatric practices on the BPN website here: https://www.berkeleyparentsnetwork.org/advice/pediatrics

    Dec 8, 2017

    We love Dr. Katya Gerwein at Bayside Medical, but we've also been very happy with Drs. Linn, Boal, Brinkley, and Perlman whenever we haven't been able to get in to see Dr. Gerwein. Their practice used to be a bit frustrating, but they've actually really impressed us lately with communications and ease of reaching them. http://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/location/bayside-medical-group-berkeley

    Assuming you don't have Kaiser, we love Karin Schiffman. She is in private practice. Very evidence based practice. Never had to wait more than a few minutes for an appointment. Appointments don't feel rushed (she'll often spend 30 mins with you). Gives you her cell phone number for after hours calls. Since she is in solo practice we have had to use Urgent Care a few times on the weekend, but we are okay with that. 

    Lisa Kalar at Berkeley Pediatrics is fantastic. We’ve been nothing but thrilled with her care, and the practice is pretty good in general too. 

  • Health examination for school entry in 5th grade

    – Sep 18, 2017
    (2 replies)

    My daughter is starting 5th grade in a Berkeley public school, and she needs to have a report of health examination here. We have just arrived from France and hence have a french health insurance policy (not sure whether they will reimburse for a health examination here, as this is not an emergency situation). The school gave the number of City of Berkeley Public Health services but no-one is on the phone to answer so I could get an appointment with a physician..Do you recommend physicians that would do this examination for my daughter at a reasonable price?

    Thank you

    Sep 18, 2017

    Try Life Long Médical.  I think they take most insurance , and are in the business of serving people who don’t have insurance.  Plus their doctors are amazing. 

    You can simply ask any physician's office for the private pay fee for the exam. There may also be a fee for completing the school forms. In our clinic (not the specialty you need) we have a private pay fee schedule and offer a cash discount. Lifelong clinics are accustomed to working with folks in different financial situations and, although they keep very busy and it'll be a challenge to get an appointment, they are good folks and your daughter will get good care. Keep this situation in mind, though, if you don't have insurance coverage for routine care while your daughter is in school here, you should have a plan for things like seeing a doctor for flu, vaccines, etc.
     

  • Recommendation for Pediatric Group Oakland/San Leandro

    – Sep 2, 2017
    (1 reply)

    I'm looking for a great doctor in either Oakland or San Leandro for my 2 year old and 4 year old. Thank you in advance!

    Sep 2, 2017

    There's a great pediatrician in San Leandro. He has consulted with us about our kids' illnesses several times over the years. He's kind of a hippie, in that soft-voiced, chill, and kind way. He adores kids, and gets their trust quickly. His practice is well-established, his staff is sweet and kind, too. His name is Arnold Blustein, you can see his pic on yelp. 510-352-2425

  • Recommendation for pediatrician in Richmond, El Cerrito or North Berkeley?

    – Aug 15, 2017
    (5 replies)

    We recently moved to Richmond from out of state and need a pediatrician for our 12-month old son. We have HealthNet Blue and Gold insurance in case anyone has a similar policy and could recommend pediatricians in Richmond, El Cerrito or north Berkeley. Thanks very much!

    Aug 15, 2017

    We've been going to Berkeley Pediatrics on Walnut St for 18 years and have Health Net Blue and Gold. My daughter will be sad when she ages out of pediatrics. They have been great. As she got older, it has been important to have a doctor of the same gender, so keep that in mind for later.

    We go to Berkeley Pediatrics and have Dr. Katrina Michel as our pediatrician.  I'm not sure if they accept your insurance, but they are a great clinic.  I've seen/spoke to a few of the doctors there (when my doctor wasn't available) and they have all been very courteous and informative.  I've only had positive experiences with them and would highly recommend their clinic. 

    I like Berkeley Pediatrics. I went there as a child and now my daughter goes there. Nothing but good experiences

    I highly recommend Dr Marcia Charles-Mo.  She was my children's pediatrician for 25+ years, and they liked going to her office.  She's kind, gentle, and is firm when she needs to be.  I wish there were more doctors, for adults, like her.  One of her offices is located at 2999 Regent St, at the Berkeley-Oakland border, across the street from Alta Bates Hospital.

    We have been very happy with Kiwi Pediatrics for our three kids. They have been great about addressing the issues and questions we've had, stayed after hours for us to come in for an urgent issue, had us email pictures of bug bites/cuts/swollen eyes from vacation spots to tell us if it was something to worry about (no/yes/no), and just generally been fantastic, helpful, and engaging. They are a bit of a drive for us after we moved but I can't imagine taking our kids anywhere else. 510-652-1720 (Alcatraz) or 510-524-9400 (San Pablo). We particularly like Dr. Salsburg but everyone there is great.

  • Pediatricians in Sutter East Bay network?

    – Jul 24, 2017
    (5 replies)

    Hi, we are due with our first child in the next two months, so are the hunt for a pediatrician.  We currently use Sutter East Bay Medical Foundation for our OBGYN, so figured maybe it is best to stay within the network. Thus, I would love any recommendations.  Also, it looks like there are some threads about Berkeley Pediatrics, so curious if there is much of a difference between the two practices.

    Thanks for the help,

    Andrea

    Jul 24, 2017

    We really like our doctor Karin Schiffman. She is in solo practice. Very evidence based advice. I've never had to wait to an appointment. You can call her at night and weekends with issues. 

    I just had my first in June and we went with Dr Swearingen. She has been great at answering emails (or her team) and takes time to explain everything and answer all our (ok my) first time parent crazy questions. Since it is a big practice we have seen a couple other peds but we like her the best so far. 

    We've been using Karin Schiffman for our almost 1-year-old daughter from the very beginning. She's very caring and takes the time to follow up by phone on more serious issues. Compared to Sutter, having a one-person practice is so rare and special these days. 

    Hi Andrea and Steve, congrats on the new addition to your family! :) Berkeley Pediatrics is not affiliated with Sutter, but all the pediatricians at Berkeley Ped. have admitting privileges at Alta Bates hospital (which is likely where you will deliver?). My OBGYN is also at Sutter East Bay, and we went with Berkeley Pediatrics for pediatric care, for a few reasons: (1) the doctors could see our baby in the hospital and release him when appropriate; (2) we heard/read so many great things about this practice; (3) they are covered by our insurance; (4) their office (in the Gourmet Ghetto) is relatively close to where we live. Our son has been seeing Dr. Lisa Kalar, who is a fantastic pediatrician (but really, we've seen almost all their other docs and NPs on occasion over the last 4 years and they are all really good). In fact, I am expecting my second baby (late Aug. early Sept.) and we will continue to use Berkeley Pediatrics. The "transition" between Sutter and Berkeley Ped. was really seamless as far as I recall - anyway these are very different types of care (OB vs. pediatrics) and I am not sure it really matters to keep doctors in the same network (but hopefully you will hear from other parents who have this experience and can describe some advantages... I just cannot think of any, at least in our case). Since your baby will essentially become a "new patient" in any network, you essentially start from scratch anyway... perhaps pediatricians and OBGYNs within Sutter do talk to each other and intersect in some ways, but I would be surprised if that were the case. Bottom line is, I would go with a pediatrician you feel excited about, and comfortable with. You still have time to schedule interviews with a few of them, and pick a doctor you click with and who aligns with your general ideas about baby/child health and development (just a random example: if your family is vegan, it is a good idea to get a sense for how supportive a particular pediatrician will be of your dietary choices for your baby... this can be important down the road!). Good luck with finding your doctor - and don't hesitate to contact me directly if you have any questions. 

    I love Dr.Salsburg at Kiwi Pediatrics SO much. I love the whole group. They were originally recommended by my midwife and then the NICU docs when my son was born, as he had a heart condition at birth. Eight years later we are still there and I expect to stay until we leave the area. This is a practice that serves the community with doctors well-known and loved by the local hospitals. I had a parent in academic medicine so that is my lean BUT more than that I respect a practice that serves the community and takes medi-cal. Do you wait sometimes? Yes, but that is because these doctors will sit and listen and give you attention. Simply put, they are wonderful. 

    Lindsay

  • Seeking Berkeley Pediatrician Recommendations

    – Mar 7, 2017
    (12 replies)

    Hi, 
    My family is moving to Berkeley (Elmwood) next week and would love recommendations for pediatricians. We're currently at UCSF in SF. They're affiliated with Berkeley Pediatrics, so if you have anything good or bad to say about them, please let me know. 

    We have twin 1yo's and a 4 yo. We're a 2-mom family, so LGBTQ family-friendly is essential. 

    Thanks!
    Shannon

    Mar 7, 2017

    We have been with Berkeley Pediatrics for 17 years. If you stay that long, your children will eventually want a doctor of their same gender. Maybe start off by meeting with Dr. Franks, who is helpful as she is also an experienced mom, but all the doctors there are completely friendly and competent.

    We love Dr. Michel at Berkeley Pediatrics! Really kind and thorough - and is always happy to answer any questions. Also if your kid is sick, I find that I can almost always get an appointment on the same day if you call in the morning when they open. 

    I have a newborn and just started at Berkeley Pediatrics with Dr. Learned who is rather young/new to the practice. I chose Berkeley Pediatrics because I like their approach, and like that they emphasize having your primary doctor see you as often as possible. So far we really like Dr. Learned (have had 2 visits). I would imagine you would find them completely welcoming to LGBT families but I can't speak to that directly. I also interviewed Sutter East Bay Pediatrics and liked them as well, but the doctor I met with splits her time between their Berkeley and Orinda offices, so I felt it might be harder to see one practitioner consistently. 

    We have been very happy with Dr. Lang at Berkeley Pediatrics for the past 6.5 years. She is also a twin mom.

    We've been seeing Lisa Kalar at Berkeley Pediatrics for our 7 month old. Dr. Kalar has been wonderful. She has an excellent bedside manner with our daughter as well as with me and my husband, she seems up on her research and thoughtful about applying it to our particular circumstances, helpful with parenting conundrums without being dogmatic, and responsive with emails/calls when needed. My husband and I feel great about having her care for our daughter.

    We were also at UCSF before moving to the east bay (actually stayed there for some time after #2 was born) but due to high turn over of physicians and the long haul over the bridge for appointments we made the leap to East Bay Pediatrics and couldn't be happier. They have 2 locations Berkeley and Orinda and the physicians and staff are wonderful! We see Dr. Abbott who is caring, kind, charismatic and old school (in a really good way). They have an after hours clinic where both my kids have received excellent care. Overall we have been VERY happy with the switch.

    I had Hill Physicians insurance group and was able to change from Hill Physicians SF to Hill Physicians East Bay with no trouble.

    Go to Berkeley Pediatrics and ask for AnneMary Franks as your doctor. She's great.

    Dr. Grace So at berk peds is wonderful. It's a rare thing to find an office so welcoming. All the docs there care deeply about the kids and the office staff is really great too. Highly recommended.

    We have a 21-month old at Berkeley Pediatrics, and we've been very happy both with the regular checkups and with their responsiveness for sick appointments.  We mostly see Dr. Learned, who is one of their newer doctors, but we also saw one of the other doctors when my son was sick and we were equally satisfied.

    We love Karin Sciffman. She's in solo practice. She's great and the office staff are too. 

    I can't say enough good things about Private Pediatrics, Dr. Nadoolman.   He has a solo practice in Berkeley.   He is loving, compassionate and a great doctor.  We have been patients of his for 15 years.  I don't know any doctor that will see you anytime of the day or night, make a house call when needed, see you on a holiday.  He is the best. 

    I will second the vote for Dr. Schiffman.

    She is fantastic.  She's responsive, super knowledgeable and relaxed (not time pressured) all at the same time.

    She is also in Elmwood, so convenient.

  • Pediatrician in Berkeley

    – Jan 18, 2017
    (10 replies)

    Hello- I would like to hear your favorite pediatricians! I have 4 year old and 6 month old boys and they are pretty healthy. I have Aetna and prefer in Berkeley area. Thank you!

    Jan 18, 2017

    We take our daughter to Berkeley Pediatrics. It's a really great practice with lots of capable Drs.

    I recommend whomever is taking new patients at Berkeley Pediatrics on Walnut and Virginia. Our family have been patients there since birth, almost 17 years!

    We love our pediatrician Karin Schiffman. She is in a solo practice, which we really like. I never feel rushed in my appointments, there is never a long wait, she responds quickly to emails via their online system and phone calls, the front staff is great and I've never had issues with billing. 

    We also have Aetna and see Dr. So at Berkeley pediatrics and really like her.

    We love our pediatrician - Myles Abbott at East Bay Pediatrics. They have offices in Berkeley (Regent Street near Alta Bates) and Orinda. We have seen many pediatricians in the practice and we like them all. They have convenient drop in hours for vaccines, and they always find a way to fit us in for a sudden illness or ear infection. We used to have Aetna and they accepted it. 

    I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Katya Gerwein!  

    We love Dr. Karin Schiffman.  She is a solo practitioner and really knows our family.  My kids love her.  She answers all after hours calls herself, which I appreciate so much.

    Hello- we have a 6 year old and 4 month old (both girls), have aetna insurance and have been going to East Bay Pediatrics for about 2 years now. They are great! Jennifer Miller is our primary doctor and she is fantastic...warm, caring, thoughtful and thorough.  They also have a great scheduling for sick appointments and offer urgent care hours in off times (which we have, unfortunately, had to use twice) and are located just adjacent to Alta Bates. We found them through a recommendation from our previous neighbors (who were both doctors) and who had 3 boys who saw another doctor in the group who they also highly recommended. Best of Luck.

    We love Kiwi Pediatrics. They are very responsive to our concerns and have been great about answering questions that we call in or email to them. Twice we have been travelling and have sent a picture of something that happened to one of the kids and they emailed us back with advice about what to do. We have gone in after hours to get stitches. The doctors are up-to-date on the latest research and can answer obscure questions. And they are really nice.

    But the thing that I love the most is that they work hard to prevent kids getting sick or hurt. They do stuff like give out bike helmets to low-income kids and pass out glow sticks at Halloween so kids will be visible to cars. They give out books to kids and have a "Take a Book/Leave a Book" shelf in their Berkeley office.

    We love Dr. Lisa Kalar at Berkeley Pediatrics.  We have been seeing doctors at this practice for 21 years and have been very happy with the care we've received there.  One of my children has multiple serious chronic health issues, and Dr. Kalar has been extremely supportive and helpful, acting as both advisor and sounding board as I navigate the world of specialists and difficult decisions.  I should actually remember to tell her directly how grateful I am.

  • Seeking Pediatrician Recommendations (Oakland)

    – Dec 8, 2016
    (3 replies)

    Hi - we are expecting our first child in January.

    We are hoping to find a pediatrician/pediatric group in the Glenview/Lakeshore/Piedmont/Pill Hill area who is an MD, but open-minded to alternative medicine, as well as less aggressive vaccination schedules.

    We have a PPO, so rec's for Kaiser docs wouldn't be helpful to us. ;)

    Thanks in advance!

    Dec 8, 2016

    Did you check BPN's list of pediatricians and pediatric practices in Oakland? https://www.berkeleyparentsnetwork.org/advice/oakland-pediatricians   Lots o' pediatrician reviews there.

    We interviewed Dr. Maidenberg of Sage Pediatrics (http://www.sagepediatrics.com/) and really liked a lot about her practice but it was a little outside our means so went a more traditional path with Alameda Pediatrics (https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-clinics/alameda-pediatric-associa...) and love them. 

    The docs at East Bay Pediatrics are wonderful. Also wonderful? Vaccines!! Including the 2 month DTaP shot that helped my son survive "P" of DTaP (pertussis) when he was 3 months old. A "less aggressive" vaccination schedule would have left him completely vulnerable. Just something to think about as you make your vaccination decisions.

  • Seeking pediatrician recommendations in Walnut Creek

    – Nov 11, 2016
    (2 replies)

    Hi all,

    We are new to Walnut Creek and expecting our first baby in January 2017.  Please let me know if you have recommendations for a good pediatrician in Walnut Creek.  Thanks!

    Nov 11, 2016

    Hi!  Highly recommend Bayside Medical Pediactrics on Ygnacio Valley Road.  We have Dr Harry Huang for our sons care and Dr Debra Weiss for our daughters care.  We have used many of the doctors in this office (last minute illness appointments) and everyone is professional and kind and very willing to help.  They also offer a 24hr advice nurse which is very helpful in the middle of the night.  Congrats on your new baby and welcome to Walnut Creek!!

    Hi, we'be been seeing Dr. Charles Hanson in Walnut Creek for 15 years. He's one of the best doctors out there. 

  • Pediatrician in North Berkeley, Albany, El Cerrito area

    – Nov 4, 2016
    (2 replies)

    Hello,

    I'm seeking recommendations for a new pediatrician in the North Berkeley/Albany/El Cerrito Plaza area. My family has been with Bayside Medical Group for 10 years.  I have been very happy with their pediatric services, but I'm looking for something closer to home.

    Thank you for any recommendations.

    Nov 4, 2016

    Our daughters have been patients at Kiwi Pediatrics for 8 years. We have been very happy with the care that they have received. The staff is always friendly and the doctors are very knowledgeable. They take a lot of time to answer questions and engage with our kids.  I have never felt rushed there.  The facilities are not fancy but do not let that deter you!  I highly recommend.

    Berkeley Pediatrics. All of the doctors are wonderful. We've liked Dr. SO and Dr. Lang in particular. They are bright, friendly, and genuinely care about our child and our family. Weekend help and after hours calls have been readily available to us. I can't recommend Berkeley Peds with more love or confidence. 

  • New Pediatrician in the East Bay

    – Aug 1, 2016
    (4 replies)

    Hello, We just moved to Albany and need to find a pediatrician ASAP for our 4 kids (7, 5, 3, 4 months). The youngest needs shots in a week for her 4 month appointment and I don't want to mess with her shot schedule. Any recommendations for a good family pediatrician in Albany/ Berkeley/ El Cerrito? Thanks in advance!

    Aug 1, 2016

    We love Karin Shiffman. She has a solo practice, located near Alta Bates. 

    We love love love our pediatrician -- Dr. Karin Schiffman. She's in private practice in South Berkeley and I believe she's accepting new patients.

    We have been seeing Dr. Petra Landman since 2004. My kids, now 15 and 17, still go to her and Dr. Landman has been perfect at adjusting and meeting them "where they are" developmentally since they started at 3 and 5. Both kids, boy and a girl, are comfortable. She gives us all the information we need and in a clear fashion. Her office, with Sutter East Bay is on Milvia, just south of Dwight. She asks about diet and health habits, school, developmentally appropriate questions about friends, school, and now - drugs and sexuality. We have a good experiece throughout their childhood. 

    We love Berkeley pediatrics