Michael Siu, MD

Easy to make a quick appointment; Dr. Siu is personable and efficient.

He claims to be accepting new patients, but isn’t very helpful or patient. I was calling all around to try and get my records transferred to him while at his office, and he eventually got frustrated and asked me to go somewhere else. Didn’t even want me to book another time. I had some instructions for a physical for work, and he had no idea what to do.

I had severe abdominal pain, here from out of town, and the doctor refused to see me. Not taking any new patients, says they. They were pleasant about it and all, but I was surprised they wouldn’t see someone once who had a pain issue.

Dr Siu is an excellent doctor. People don’t always understand that it’s not easy to balance helping patients and running a business. I feel fortunate to have him as my physician.
Jennifer at a front desk is also nice and very helpful. What more can you ask from physician’s office?

Trying to find a last minute check up appointment on a Friday is nearly impossible. Dr. Siu’s office was so helpful in creating an appointment on short notice. Thank you!!!

Dr. Michael Siu has been my personal physician for more than 20 years. I see him regularly for physical exams, TB tests for my college teaching job, and for anything else that comes up.
Let me say that he’s a classic. He trained in Canada in a very thorough and wide ranging residency in which he saw everything. He’s an amazingly experienced fellow. I first met him when I was changing careers myself … going from being a 3^rd year medical student to a graduate student. So I felt I could speak to him from his point of view, and he respected my thoughts and feelings about my healthcare.
Amazingly in the 1990s he was a Brown and Toland group physician who actually made home calls to his patients during his on-​call days. Dr. Siu lives by his ideals. He seems to practice in a manner in which he will not burn out, he’ll always stay interested in his profession, and he’ll always have a caring and personal relationship with his patients.
In short he’s the kind of doctor that we in med. school would have liked to become, but our training in the modern healthcare system seemed to mostly defeat. I really admire this man, and I feel like I’ve got a true friend here in the Bay area that I can trust to talk things over with. He’s got great insight and understands the resources at his disposal for getting things done. I appreciate that he always picks the least invasive, most straight forward and least costly solution. I feel fortunate to have him as my physician as well as my friend.

I have been a patient of Dr Siu for about 12 years! My Mother, Wife and adult children have also been under the care of Dr. Michael Siu. I am just shocked at all these mis-​leading reviews, Especially the guy who’s 93 year old mother fell down. First of all, If my mother ever fell down, common sense would for me to call 911 and not wait 3 weeks. The other review, someone says they stepped back in time to the 50’s. I guess you haven’t been to SF General or ST. Lukes. I would like to set the record straight. Michael Siu is a very family orientated Dr. He saved my life 11 years ago and then just recently saved my mothers life by ordering tests and sending her to specialist. My mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. Thanks to Dr Michael Siu and the specialist, my mother is now cancer free. Dr. Micheal Siu always goes above and beyond the call of duty. If anybody has a problem or is not sure of anything, all you have to do is ask questions! Dr. Michael Siu will always answer them.

I switched to Dr. Siu because I felt my last physician was impersonal and did not spend enough time assessing my symptoms. Dr. Siu, I felt, was very thorough when discussing my current symptoms, but also other factors (lifestyle choices, medical history, etc) in order to properly diagnose me. Furthermore, he was understanding of the fact that I am the type of person that likes to look at other options before jumping into antibiotics or vaccines. Most doctors try to push drugs, and I like that Dr. Siu listened to me as a patient. I’ve had a great experience so far, and I hope to continue seeing him along with my family.

I really tried to like Dr. Siu as my GP doc. I saw him quite a number of times for various things over the past couple years. LIke many other have stated, he’s a really nice guy.
For basic stuff he was fine. Basically anything that can be solved with a one time prescription and then you don’t have to see him again until something else comes up, he’s great to go to because you can almost always get a quick appointment with him and you’re in and out.
For more chronic or less easily remedied conditions, I found him to be a pretty poor doctor. He often seemed to rush the appointment, would forget pretty much everything I came to see him for the last time, and wouldn’t ask if anything else I needed to discuss with him.
His solutions for conditions were poor as well. I went to a new medical group who was very thorough and after 1 treatment for a condition i’m 90 percent of the way there versus the multiple near worthless trips to see Dr. Siu.
I think I didn’t realize what I was missing out on with other doctors because it was easy to see him and get in and out. If you don’t go to the doctor much and only need super basic stuff he can be a good guy. If you have more serious things you need to address, i’d keep looking.

Just saw Dr. Siu. He is very professional and easy to talk to. Even though I’m a new patient, there was no wait once I got my paperwork finished. What I really liked is a lot of doctors will immediately presribe pills for just about anything since that’s what people expect. Dr. Siu gave me some alternatives to try first before trying any prescription medication.
FOLLOW UP: His diagnosis was right on. A-​ok now.

If you are looking for a family doctor, Dr. Siu is wonderful. The service is personal, efficient and professional. He is wonderful with kids. Don’t let the small office or his modest demeanor fool you, he is also a visiting professor at UC Medical Center.
For the past ten years he has taken care of my family through thick and thin. He answers calls, sees you when you really need to see him and does every procedure himself… no overworked nurses. When was the last time a physician gave you a shot, drew blood or performed an ekg? He does it all and that makes his office so special. Who would know I would find a small town doctor in the big city.
Thank You Dr. Siu!

When you enter Dr. Siu’s office it’s like you stepped back in
time. The old equipment looks like it’s straight from the 50’s.
Dr. Siu is a nice guy, but not very professional. As others here said, his jokes sound a bit out of place. He also does not seem to be on top of things. I complained to him couple of times about extreme exhaustion. He did show honest concern, and ran some tests (partial) that did detect minor anemia. But he didn’t make a link between the anemia, the exhaustion and possible lack of iron. It turned out that my iron levels were very low and the cause for the exhaustion, because by taking iron pills (per my sister’s suggestion) I started feeling much better. That was a simple fix, and I would expect my doctor to suggest it, given the lab results and a pre-​existing condition that also supports it. This could have spared me several months of feeling extremely weak.

I advise you to not just look at the overall Unilocal score when you’re researching on someone or something, that’s as important as finding a good doctor. Please read the most recent individual reviews and gauge.
I chose Dr. Siu because he was part of my network, a private physician (less waiting than at a clinic), and he got a good Unilocal rating. Well, now that I’ve experienced otherwise, I want to make sure others don’t repeat my mistake.
It’s true there’s less wait and he has more availability, but it’s also because he’s really a FOR-​PROFIT doctor. He overschedules patients and only sees them for like 5 min at most for everything. To try to talk to him more to tell him what’s wrong with you and to learn what you can do to prevent things, please save your breath.
He is okay if you just want to go in and tell him that you have an idea of what’s wrong with you, for a simple cold or preventative shot. He will be very fast in prescribing drugs.
But he is NOT the doctor to go to if you have something serious or you have no idea why you’re feeling sick. Because chances are, he doesn’t know what he’s doing. And he is impatient, rude, and condescending, as others described.
I’ve gone to him for like half a dozen times in the span of 2 months, trying to get a correct diagnosis for the pain that I’m suffering. But he dismisses me the first few times with antibiotics and painkillers. When the pain keeps recurring, I finally asked him for a referral. And the ones he recommended don’t even accept female patients. I had to find my own specialist. He advised me not to go to the specialist after I made my appointment because he doesn’t think I have anything serious.
When my pain and old problem keeps coming back and he had to call me to tell me that the lab results actually indicates I have a serious infection, that was the last straw. He has caused me so much more suffering by wasting my precious time and money and making me feel worse than I already was. I don’t trust anything he says anymore. I will find another doctor. And I advise you to do the same!

My insurance co picked Dr. Siu as my PCP for me and I was about to change their selection when I saw the great reviews on Unilocal.So I saw him for a couple of minor issues. He’s close by a and it’s always easy to get an appointment. I started to worry a little because he never seemed very thorough and when I had to explain the relatively common medication I as taking and what the dosage was etc. because he wasn’t familiar. He was definitely very friendly and personable but that’s not exactly what I’m looking for in a doctor. It’s a nice to have though.
I finally decided to write this review because I recently came down with the flu and having heard that some treatments can be effective if taken very early on I called the office and asked if I could come in right away for a prescription. They said they’d check with the doctor and asked my for my number and my pharmacy so they could call in a prescription if appropriate. I never heard back from them. I called the pharmacy and they never called in a prescription. I could have called back to follow-​up but I’d been too sick and by then it was too late anyway.
This was really the kind of case where I would have expected a small practice to really trump the big offices but alas it was not too be.

I was referred to Dr. Siu by a friend of mine, when I complained about my doctor never having time to accomodate me. All I can say is how glad I am to FINALLY find a doctor that cares about his patients and can make time for you! I needed to see him before a trip abroad, and given the short notice, he certainly made time to see me. Thanks again Dr. Siu!
During my first visit, I was impressed that Dr. Siu took the time to get to know me and ask me about my overall health. Even if he had a next appointment, I didn’t feel rushed. Most doctors would carry on with their business, but Dr. Siu definitely tried to engage in nice conversation. That was a plus! My overall check up was a good experience and it felt really good to have a doctor answer all of my questions and not be rushed out the door!
Parking can be a challenge though so I opt to take the muni from the city to get there. But overall, I like him and intend to keep him as my primary doctor for a long time.

First off let me say that I think Dr. Siu is a nice person and has a great personality
As a doctor, I feel like he could have been a lot more thorough.
I got back from my honeymoon in Mexico and got sick the next day. I thought it was a standard stomach virus but it wouldn’t go away. I don’t have a regular doc so I made an appointment with Dr. Siu after reading all the glowing reviews on Unilocal.
His office is in West Portal. Get there a little early to find free parking because there is a lot of construction going on in the area and «no parking» signs are all over the place.
The front desk is very brief but nice. Gave me standard paperwork to fill out. Some of the questions were funny, like «Do you suffer from erectile dysfunction…» Sounded like an opportunity to sell some drugs, if you know what I mean.
This is definitely an office that is in bed with the drug companies. There was a drug sales rep in the office who was chumming it up with the doctor. Giving him free stuff, you know the drill.
After filling out paperwork, I sat for about 5 minutes and the Doc saw me, which is really good. Usually docs keep you waiting upwards of up to an hour. Must have been a slow day, lucky for me.
Doc introduced himself, very warm.
He looked at my medical history and said «Wow, how am I supposed to treat all this in under a half an hour?» Not the most professional thing to say but he is a jokester so if you don’t have a thick skin and can’t take jokes aimed at your medical history, don’t go.
In the end, I forked over $ 30 as my co-​pay. He didn’t do any blood work, which I don’t think was smart. Especially, when the patient tells you they just got back from an international trip.
Didn’t even do a complete physical. Just checked my blood pressure and my breathing.
Didn’t issue me an antibiotic for my virus. Could have given me some of those free samples he got earlier. Just told me to keep on doing what I’ve been doing which is eat bananas and toast and go get Immodium. Great!
I was too weak to argue or suggest what he should do, so I just kept my mouth shut and laughed at his jokes. I guess this strain of virus make you a sucker.
So if you get the flu and have $ 30 lying around, go to the Dr. Siu comedy show where you can hear jokes about your medical history and be told to eat bananas and saltines. Oh yeah, but he would make a great drinking buddy so it’s a catch 22.

Dr. Siu was great! Where we disagreed, he really listened to me, treated me with respect. He asked me lots of questions, wanting to know all kinds of things about my health baseline; I was clearly NOT a statistic to him! Though I came to discuss having a metal screw taken out of my ankle, we covered all the bases.
A really nice guy — I really felt comfortable with him, and knew that I could trust him.

Michael Siu is so awesome. At first, I was a little hesistant that he was my doctor because I was an awkward teenager and just discovered that I had to do my annual girl exams. and now I had to go to a MAN DOCTOR? Um, no thanks, my girl organs are working juuuust fine.
But.Dr. Siu is so nice and is very attentive. He answers all my questions, and his office staff is very nice.

Dr. Siu is a wonderful physician. I saw him a few times a couple of years ago as I was having a bit of a random collection of symptoms, and he was extremely thorough — had me create a family tree listing date of birth, date/​cause of death, and any known illnesses as far back as I (or my family members) could remember. Using this and other tools he figured things out and got me on a path to feeling much better.
This past week I’ve been hit with a horrible cold and I called today to see if I could get an appointment sometime soon. Even though I haven’t been into his office in a couple of years, they squeezed me in for an appointment *today.* In the past, I’ve had similar situations with other primary care doctors — calling in, sick, and asking to be seen — and I’ve been told they’re all booked up, or given an appointment a couple of weeks out. I could not be happier with his care or service his office provides.

Dr. Siu is a wonderful physician, and very importantly, he never makes me feel bad about myself. As a first-​born child, I spend a lot of time either feeling like I need to control the world, or that the state of the world is my fault, so this trait is especially meaningful to me. The doctor knows all of my bad habits, unhealthy practices, and tendency to push myself too hard — and he delivers advice with the caring manner of a concerned parent — someone who acknowledges the problem, and will work with you to get through it. He explains everything very thoroughly, too, which I love.
My husband and I have been patients of Dr. Siu for about 7 years, and he has never let us down. He’s seen us through 1 appendicitis (me), 1 hernia (Mr. S), preventative shots, physical exams, and countless treatments for colds and flu. He seems to know immediately, like magic, what is wrong with us. On the day of my appendectomy, I came in with what I thought was food poisoning, and a few hours later he had gotten me into the hospital for a CAT scan, followed immediately by surgery. I will be forever grateful to him for that day.
Yesterday I went in with the most terrible cold I’ve had in years, and they took me in last minute, working around my schedule (not easy). He knew immediately that I had a sinus infection, took the time to explain exactly what was happening to me, and prescribed the antibiotics I needed. He looked a little concerned when I told him I had to fly to Asia on Sunday (considering that at the time, I couldn’t breathe or hear, my equilibrium was off, and I looked like death), but he said that I would be OK to go if I started my treatment IMMEDIATELY. See? He didn’t tell me no, but was clear on what I had to do. And like an obedient child, I am following his advice exactly.
I have complete trust in Dr. Siu, which is further underlined by the fact that he also is my OB/​GYN.
His expertise, as well as his kindness, are a comfort to me both in sickness and in health.