Richard A. Belkin, MD, MSCE, FCCP

Dr. Richard A. Belkin has practiced Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine in Santa Barbara since 2004. He grew up in West Chester, Pennsylvania (near Philadelphia). He completed his undergraduate work in biology at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, graduating cum laude in 1993. He obtained his medical degree (M.D.) from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1997 where he was awarded the Gate Pharmaceutical Outstanding Student Award. Dr. Belkin subsequently completed his internship and residency training in internal medicine at Stanford University Medical Center in 2000. He then returned to the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center to complete a Fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical care Medicine, including advanced training in Cystic Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis in 2001. Additionally, he obtained a Master of Science (M.S.C.E.) degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania in 2004. Dr. Belkin then moved to Santa Barbara, CA in 2004, where he became a staff Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician at Sansum Medical Clinic. He most recently joined the Santa Barbara Pulmonary Consultants practice at the beginning of 2009.

In addition to practicing general Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Dr. Belkin has a special interest and is a national expert in the evaluation and treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis. He is the founder and current Medical Director of the new Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Cystic Fibrosis/Bronchiectasis Center. He is also the Co-Director of the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center at the Pediatric Diagnostic Center in Ventura, CA.

As a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at USC Keck School of Medicine, Dr. Belkin is actively involved as a teacher and lecturer in the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Medical Residency Program, and in giving lectures to local primary care physicians. He was awarded an Excellence in Teaching Award by the Cottage Internal Medicine Residency Program. He is currently the Chief of the Pulmonary and Critical Medicine Department at Cottage Hospital and the Medical Director of Respiratory Care.

The effect of lung transplantation on the survival of cystic fibrosis patients has been the primary area of Dr. Belkin’s academic research. His work on the relationship between the timing of lung transplantation and mortality rate was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, and was recognized in the Year in Review at the 2007 American Thoracic Society Meeting. Dr. Belkin has spoken on multiple occasions at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference.

Dr. Belkin was inducted as a Fellow of the College of Chest of Physicians in 2008. He is an active member of the American Thoracic Society and American College of Physicians, the California Thoracic Society and California Medical Association, and the Santa Barbara County Medical Society.

Dr. Belkin lives in Santa Barbara with his wife, Liza, who practices medicine in Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and their two children, Danya (age 7) and Ryan (age 5). In his free time he enjoys playing tennis and golf, and spending time with his family.