Michael Ginsburg, MD

About Dr. Ginsburg

Early in his training, Michael Ginsburg, MD, became inspired by the field of Vascular & Interventional Radiology and its innovative, minimally invasive approach to delivering patient-centered care, in a variety of ailments and diseases, with great outcomes. Dr. Ginsburg says that interventional radiology is a rapidly growing field that has continued to evolve all throughout his career, contributing to the advancement of medicine and allowing him to provide treatment options to his patients that previously were considered impossible.

Dr. Ginsburg was exposed to the medical profession growing up, since both of his grandparents were physicians. His grandfather, a cardiologist, was a role model for him. “He approached medicine as a true vocation. He loved taking care of his patients – with personalized attention, compassion, and dedication,” he says. “His ability to not only heal the physical ailments, but also be sympathetic to the human spirit, while being an expert in his field, inspired me to go into medicine.”

Each patient Dr. Ginsburg sees receives his full attention. While he practices evidence-based medicine that is current and up to date, he maintains the perspective that even when treating the same disease, each case is unique. “My philosophy is to give every patient the attention they deserve, treating the whole person in a variety of clinical settings and partnering with them as they continue their healing journey” he says. His priority is to educate and engage his patients from the first moment he meets them. He takes the time to explain the clinical reasoning behind the work-up required to make an accurate, timely and patient-centered diagnosis. Dr. Ginsburg believes that making every effort to ensure that his patients are well-informed about their own health reduces their anxiety and builds trust. Moreover, an increased understanding puts patients in a better position to make informed decisions regarding their health care, leading to improved outcomes.

Dr. Ginsburg is aware that most people aren’t familiar with Vascular & Interventional Radiology. When asked what it is, he explains that VIR is minimally invasive surgery performed under image guidance, done through a pinhole. Most people require no hospital stay and receive their care on an outpatient basis.

Dr. Ginsburg earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his Doctor of Medicine degree at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. He completed Radiology residency training at the University of Chicago, followed by a fellowship in Vascular and Interventional Radiology at Stanford, California. He is double board certified in Diagnostic Radiology and in Vascular and Interventional Radiology. Prior to joining Beacon Health, Dr. Ginsburg practiced in Illinois and Wisconsin, with a focus on minimally invasive treatment of vascular disease, interventional oncology, liver disease, as well as men's and women's health.

In his own words…

Who is or was the most influential person/role model in your life?  My grandfather, Naum Ginsburg – a cardiologist who taught me to not just treat the disease, but to try and heal the soul of each patient, to give them hope.

What was your first job growing up?  I worked a variety of odd jobs while in college – from delivering Yellow Pages to being a night guard at a factory. 

What is your favorite food? Movie?  My favorite food is shawarma – something I grew up eating in Israel.  I love movies – so it would be hard to name just one, but The Godfather trilogy, Once Upon a Time in America, and Forrest Gump are definitely up there.

What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up?  I loved math and science, but I was not the best when it came to essay writing.

If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why?  Again, hard to name just one, but Leonardo DaVinci comes to mind – because he was a polymath – and one of his areas of interest was science and the anatomy of the human body. It would be fun to pick his brain.

In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? What are your hobbies, interests?  I love the outdoors – hiking, skiing and just being out there. Especially when I get to do it with my young son - we love to explore the world together.

What is something most people don’t know about you?  I grew up in Israel, speak three languages, and was a paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces. I also get very sentimental when watching movies.