Rich Joseph, MD
Like you, every day I am training to get a bit better at the hardest sport of all—life.
I have spent the majority of my life as an athlete in the traditional sense, playing multiple competitive sports through high school and college. The values and lessons learned through athletics—discipline, commitment, and teamwork—inform how I live my life every day. Physical activity has been my gateway for self-development. Hence the name of my practice— vitality in motion (or “vim” for short).
With physical fitness as my entry point, my perspective has evolved into a more expansive and holistic concept of human well being encompassing the emotional, spiritual, environmental, and communal aspects of health. Explorations into these new dimensions of health have been prompted by personal struggles—metabolic dysfunction, burn out, perfectionism—and informed by professional experiences—interacting with patients and personal training clients, working in a dysfunctional health care system, and conducting community organizing work. I have come to appreciate that holistic well being is an ongoing and evolving process, not a destination.
My years as a strength and conditioning coach (plus an abundance of scientific evidence) made it clear that training (“exercise”) is the most potent medicine. After completing my medical education at Stanford School of Medicine and Internal Medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, I resolved to create a model of care with movement as the primary prescription. I am on a mission to bridge the gap between the health and fitness industry and traditional health care to create a prevention-oriented and performance-focused model of care.
Despite my role as a physician, I resist the temptation to claim expertise or certainty. The science of human health and vitality is constantly evolving. In order to allow my perspectives to evolve, to be open to new ideas and insights, and to be the best doctor I can be, I must remain a student and a lifelong learner.
If you are looking for a list of my certificates, experiences, and credentials, feel free to check out my CV.
I hope that you will join me on this journey of towards health, optimal performance, and self-discovery.
-Rich (aka Dr. J)
let’s talk health.
Shoot us a note and Dr. Joseph will get in touch ASAP to discuss jump starting your proactive, performance-focused health journey.