Cristian Jivcu, M.D.

Dr Jivcu, originally from Romania, moved to the United States at age 14, and took up the study, and eventually practice of medicine more as a dare from a close friend than as a life-long ambition, as is normally the case. His initial aim was to be a writer, thus he majored in Comparative Literature and Philosophy at University of California, Irvine from where he graduated CUM LAUDE in 1999. It was at this juncture when the dare from a close friend came, and thus after doing additional pre-med prerequisites at California State University in Fullerton, he was accepted in the UC Irvine School of Medicine from where he graduated in 2006. He then pursued his residency in Internal medicine as well as his fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine in Phoenix Arizona, which he completed in 2013. Since then his practice has varied widely between hospital based and clinic based pulmonary medicine and critical care medicine. His love however, other than literature of course, is critical care medicine.

“The Intensive Care Unit allows me to be with my patients in their greatest hour of need, and it also gives me the opportunity to use all the tools of all other specialties from family practice to invasive pulmonary and vascular procedures to help them. The ICU also allows me to prioritize the sickest patients, and also to work with a well-qualified team of nurses, pharmacists, therapists which are available day and night to help patients through the greatest health challenges.”

Dr. Jivcu and his wife Ester have three kids, none of whom have yet expressed any interest in medicine.