B.J. grew up in the midwest, went to college in the east where he studied art history, and wended westward to attend medical school at UCSF. He completed residency training in Internal Medicine at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara where he was chief resident. After his palliative care fellowship at MGH, B.J. went to San Francisco as Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at UCSF.

"The field of palliative medicine affords me the privilege of working with people during periods of transition. I am interested in what happens after the diagnosis is made, and in how people respond to change. The sharing and reciprocation I experience with patients and families is a gift."