Dr. Mary Elizabeth Obrien, MD

O'Brien seems like she would be great. She went to Harvard and at first comes across knowledgeable. But when presented with more complicated cases she is quick to diagnose as merely "stress" and does not follow up with patients. In the end, my persistence in trying to get to the bottom of my health problem, she dropped me and said I needed to find another doctor to help me with problem.

She seems thoroughly experienced and knowledgable. Great bed side manners and very professional and its obvious that she keeps up with research and developments in the field. She often emphasizes the role of stress in evoking physical symptoms & though she is never dismissive I do think something as general and elusive as "stress" should not be a first order explanandum but reserved for after other possibilities have been ruled out. Overall however, she's very good.

I totally disagree with the last reviewer. She is the most caring, smart, and insightful primary care doctor I have ever had. I went to grad school at Columbia for 6 years, and I am heartbroken to not be able to go to her anymore now that I graduated! She had more knowledge about my migraines and the risks of birth control pills than a neurologist I saw, because she took the time to listen, and keeps up with current research.

At first visit, Dr. O'Brien seems great. However, she is quick to dismiss your problem as "just stress" or "nothing at all." If your problem persists, she is not willing to keep working with you and shows no true interest in trying to help you. Instead, she wants to get you in and out of her office and does not care about any follow up. To top it off, the office staff at Columbia are the meanest, rudest people you will ever meet. Unfortunately, Columbia's student health services are the poorest health services I've ever encountered. You have better luck getting good medical care in a jungle.