Michael Eli Rosenbaum M.D.

1942 - 2016

Michael Eli Rosenbaum M.D.
Beloved Father, Friend and Doctor
Sausalito
Dr. Michael Rosenbaum, a pioneer in the practice of complementary and alternative medicine, passed away on March 9th in Greenbrae, California, surrounded by his daughters, close colleagues and friends. He had just celebrated his 74th birthday while in the hospital.
Dr. Rosenbaum was born and raised in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn New York, and attended Yeshiva University High School, Brooklyn College and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine where he obtained his medical degree. During medical school, Dr. Rosenbaum also earned a Masters degree in biochemistry, which subsequently inspired his practice of complementary medicine.
Dr. Rosenbaum initially pursued a career in psychiatry, completing his psychiatric residency at San Francisco General Hospital in the early 1970s. However, he concluded that the treatment of patients by standard allopathic medicine was not his calling. Instead, he became one of the early pioneers in the practice of complementary medicine, a discipline that has now been recognized nationally and internationally.
He was the co-founder of the Wholistic Health & Nutrition Institute in 1974, one of the first integrative medical establishment in Northern California. He was a long standing member of multiple professional medical societies, including the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, the American Academy for Advancement in Medicine, and the Orthomolecular Medicine Society (later Orthomolecular Health Medicine) founded by Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling and Dr. Richard Kunin, where he also served as President for 2 years and was the long term Co-Director of Continuing Medical Education. Dr. Rosenbaum was also the author or contributing author of many books and scientific publications.
He moved to Marin County, California and began seeing patients in 1974. Both his colleagues and patients revered him for both his medical insights, diagnostic skills and his compassionate care for his patients.
In the late 1980s, as chronic fatigue patients were becoming more numerous, Dr. Rosenbaum wrote a book addressing the issue. He treated many patients with this diagnosis, and was often able to unravel the underlying illness responsible for the complaints of chronic fatigue, as well as other complex autoimmune disorders, and Lyme Disease.
Dr. Rosenbaum was noted not only for his medical skills, but his general love of life. He enjoyed classical music and jazz, was a passionate movie buff and piano player, and a connoisseur of fine food and Japanese teas.
He is survived by his daughters Autumn and Crystal, his colleagues, and a multitude of patients, many of whom credit him with having saved their lives.


View the online memorial for Michael Eli  Rosenbaum M.D.