About Metabolic Medicine Consultants

Metabolic Medicine Consultants treats adult patients with nutrition-related medical conditions in the New York and New Jersey Metropolitan Area. This includes diseases of both over-nutrition (such as obesity) and under-nutrition (such as protein-calorie malnutrition). We see patients in the office setting and in the hospital.

Metabolic Medicine Consultants is a component of South Mountain Medical Consultants, Dr. Rothkopf’s original practice.

Who is Dr. Michael Rothkopf?

Dr. Rothkopf is a renowned, board-certified physician nutrition specialist. He is a recognized national leader. He also has extensive clinical experience, with thousands of patients in his long career. He has been on the staff of multiple hospitals and medical schools and is currently Clinical Professor of Medicine at Rutgers/New Jersey Medical School.

He founded the Metabolic Medicine Center at Morristown Medical Center in 2008. He has been on the board of the National Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists since 2012 and was previously President. He was a board member and national conference chairman for the American College of Nutrition between 2011-2015. He is the Medical Director of the nutritional medicine e-learning site, RX-Nutrition.

Dr. Rothkopf grew up near Princeton, on one of  NJ’s first organic farms. He earned bachelor’s degrees in both biology and journalism at Syracuse University and his MD at Eastern Virginia Medical School. He was an Internal Medicine resident at University Hospital and was selected as Chief Medical Resident at the VA Medical Center (both NJMS). He then trained in Critical Care, Neurointensive Care, and Nutrition/Metabolism (all at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center). While at Columbia, he was mentored by Drs. John Kinney and Eric Newsholme. Dr. Kinney is widely renowned as one of the giants in critical care metabolism. Dr. Newsholme had directed the Kreb’s Laboratory at Oxford and was among the world’s premier authorities in nutritional biochemistry.

Dr. Rothkopf has had a lifelong fascination with human metabolism and participated in important research on its understanding. His first scientific publication came in medical school from electron microscopy research on mitochondria (at the request of Drs. Howard and Georgeanna Jones; pioneers of in-vitro fertilization). He explored phytosterol metabolism in the laboratory of Dr. Gerald Salen. He was a member of the Columbia University research group on nutrition and the respiratory system, including the early use of omega-3 fatty acids. He was a co-investigator on the use of arginine-enhanced enteral nutrition formulations for intensive care unit patients. He participated in studies on human growth hormone for pulmonary cachexia and AIDS wasting syndrome. He has authored 4 textbooks and over 100 scientific publications (with an impact score in the 90th percentile). He holds 4 patents. He has also had a successful track record in medical technology ventures.

On a personal note, Dr. Rothkopf is a devoted husband and proud father of 3 successful adult children. He is an accomplished guitarist and spent some of his youth in garage and folk bands. He races sports cars and is a handicapped golfer. He practices mindfulness meditation as taught by Dr. Nina Smiley at the Mohonk Mountain House.

Dr. Rothkopf’s Treatment Philosophy and Style

Dr. Rothkopf’s career represents the balance of compassionate patient care, medical foresight and technological innovation. He tries to utilize these factors in every patient visit. He considers it a great privilege to help others benefit from his experience and training. His role as that of a diagnostician, teacher, healer and mentor to his patients.

Dr. Rothkopf feels strongly that this process cannot be rushed. He rejects the volume driven forces that are attempting to make medical care a commodity. He believes that an accurate diagnosis requires careful attention to detail, scientific analysis and in-depth knowledge of the relevant medical literature. In cases where even this is insufficient, Dr. Rothkopf utilizes his extensive network of national and international experts for further consultation.