Bruce F. Garner, MD

As a rheumatologist at NYU Langone, I am dedicated to providing compassionate, patient–provider care. I specialize in managing a variety of rheumatologic conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other autoimmune diseases.

My medical career was inspired by my parents, who were kind, loving, and intelligent. No matter what advice they gave me, it was always the best. So, when my mother suggested I choose medicine as a profession, I listened. She knew I would find it to be both challenging and rewarding. And, of course, she was correct.

There are many different subspecialities in medicine and I am fortunate to have chosen rheumatology. One of my pleasures in life is reading mystery novels and one of the pleasures of being a rheumatologist is solving mysteries. Rheumatologists are often called upon to assist when others are unable to solve the mystery of what's causing a patient's symptoms. While I'm no Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple, I pride myself on working with patients by listening to them, examining them, and reviewing their test results, and hopefully putting all the clues together for a diagnosis and effective treatment plan.

I was the chief of the Division of Rheumatology at Interfaith Medical Center, Lutheran Medical Center, and NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn for many years. One of the things I am proudest of during my tenure is the significant role I played in educating students and medical residents who would proceed to become physicians providing care for people all over the country.

What I strived to teach my pupils was this: Book learning is important, but knowledge without compassion and empathy is not enough. When I became a doctor, my mother advised me to treat each patient as I would want a doctor to treat my own mother or father, which was, as always, the correct advice. I believe in a holistic approach to treating patients, realizing that patients are not two-dimensional characters in a book, but living, breathing individuals with lives outside of the exam room. I do my best to listen to my patients and treat all with the kindness and respect they deserve.

I am proud of the fact that I have been recognized as one of New York Magazine’s “Best Doctors in New York" and in Castle Connolly’s "America’s Top Doctors” series. That recognition is quite gratifying, but what’s even more so is when a patient thanks me for helping.