He obtained his PhD in English Literature and his MD from Columbia University. After completing his chief residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital, he became Director of Medical Humanism at the University of Arizona where he also taught in the English Department and worked in the Emergency Department. He returned to Columbia University in 2012 to teach in the Institute of Comparative Literature and Society, work with medical residents in the Emergency Department, and teach in the medical school (Foundation of Clinical Medicine). He has presented and published papers on narratology, medical humanities, and the value of emotions in clinical decision making. His current research interests include the nature of risk and the role of narrative and story telling in medical diagnostics.