Dr. Jay Arthur Van Gerpen

Easily one of the best movement disorder specialists in the country. I saw him at Mayo Clinic first years ago and now drive all the way to see him in Huntsville. I see other reviews mention he can be brusque but I’ve found him to have a great sense of humor. He is renowned for his EMG work and is able to keep my tremors to a point where I can live a fairly normal life. He really is a Godsend.

I believe Dr. van Gerpen is very knowledgeable about motion disorders but his bedside manner is terrible. I had 8 appointments with him, for analysis and tests, and I don't think he said 30 words to me the whole time. On the last appointment he gave me the results and his diagnoses. The diagnoses was correct, and not anything my other doctors had suggested, but then Dr. van Gerpen seemed annoyed and upset that I wanted to ask him a few questions to better understand my condition. He kept trying to pawn me off on his nurse assistant.

This is by far the worst doctor I have ever had...and that includes the dentist that overdosed me on pain medicine. He is a rude, condescending narcissist who does not listen to your concerns at all. I was waiting for 6 months+ to see him at the Mayo clinic but I thought I'd wait since the Mayo clinic has a good reputation. After 1 visit and a few tests (no follow up appointment with him), 4 months later he said nothing was wrong. After I told him (through the Mayo messaging service) that I had numerous new symptoms, he told me "I'm comforted by the results of your tests," one of his favorite sayings to brush you aside. After the final 'report' came out that was supposed to assess all of my results, I told him (again through the Mayo messaging service) that he didn't even discuss one of my abnormal results and that another abnormal result (dismissed because of my weight) was incorrect because they miscalculated my BMI. I asked why the abnormal results were dismissed when they were… clearly related to my symptoms (Mayo message service...catching the trend that you don't interact with him??). His response? "I'm comforted by the results of your tests." I work with a lot of PhDs and MDs and I can tell in my field when someone has all of the "qualifications" but once you talk to them you realize there is nothing beyond the degrees. I can't say for sure because I am not in the neurology field, but he displays all the classic signs of someone that lacks something beyond the degree on the wall.

After visit with this remarkable medical professional and gentleman, I feel there is hope for my future. Arrived feeling doom & gloom, then the doctor thoroughly assessed the situation and after considerable, positive time with me, I feel assured that I have met the person who is capable of helping me. Blessed to have had the opportunity to get to the Mayo Clinic to meet Dr. Van Gerpen.

Most unprofessional doctor I have ever seen. Babbles nonsense jokes that make a uncertain situation worse. Than gives a bull___, diagnosis. Went to a cardiologist and there I was diagnosed with intracranial swelling and not enough O2 getting to my brain. That was what was causing my tremor, lesions, blood pressure to spike you Moran. This doctor does not belong in Mayo Clinic he gives them a bad reputation.

I was first seen by a resident, who was caring and kind. Then this man came in and said "Do you mind if we talk shop for a minute?" Well of course I said I didn't. But I hadn't agreed to the most humiliating, painful, uncaring rough handling ever endured during a simple EMG. I wished I had asked for my husband to come in with me. I will never make that mistake again. This man treats a patient like a slab of meat. I had huge bruises with hard knots that came up immediately and were still painful days later. This man is a condescending, uncaring bully. The resident sneaked back in and apologized for the 'torture.' What could I say? I just wanted to get out of there. Everyone else encountered at the Mayo Clinic were kind, efficient and helpful. Van Gerpen can only drag its reputation down.

Highly recomended

Very thorough doctor. Very detailed oriented. Most of all trustworthy.

Great Guy

This doctor had no interest in helping and made it very difficult in obtaining a diagnosis. He thought nothing was wrong was with me, I looked fine, etc. A year later I am facing brain surgery because my problems were that serious. The Mayo clinic is ruining their good reputation with this man.