Bohdan A Makarewycz, MD

The upshot: Two visits, both of them perfunctory, and excessive radiological testing spells YOU’RE FIRED a la Trump. If you absolutely have to see this man, get a second opinion.
The details: I saw Dr. Makarewycz the day before Thanksgiving, so points for getting me into the office in good time. That’s about as far as the good goes, though. I went to see him because I’d been suffering from persistent cough and hoarseness in the wake of a cold. He did a basic exam of my mouth, throat, ears, and nostrils, and told me I had a sinus infection. When I mentioned my use of the neti pot in dealing with the post-​nasal drip caused by my year-​round allergies, he rolled his eyes and told me neti pots spread infection. Okay, fine; he’s the doctor; I’ll quit using it as long as I’ve got the sinus infection. He gave me a prescription for a 10-​day course of antibiotics and handed me a lab slip. If I was still coughing after two weeks, he wanted me to have a CT scan of my sinuses.
O… kay? I was dubious, but took the slip and said okay.
Sure enough, the cough stayed around. In fact, it got worse, and eventually I started noticing that it was hard to swallow spit (not food or drink, just spit). So I went off to the lab and let them nuke my face. Last Tuesday (¹²⁄₂₀) I had my followup appointment with the doctor, where he dropped a couple of bombshells.
Bombshell the First: «Your sinuses are normal. You don’t have post-​nasal drip.» Uh. What? Are you freaking kidding me? I’ve had post-​nasal drip year-​round for most of my life. It comes with the territory. You know, that year-​round allergy territory.
Bombshell the Second: «The hoarseness and difficulty swallowing come from your acid reflux. You have GERD. You have to change your diet and sleep on a wedge, and here’s a lab slip because I want you to do a barium esophagram. If you can’t get this under control you’ll end up with esophageal dysplasia (precancerous cells) and you’ll have to consider surgery.»
Did he scope my nasal cavity actually SEE if I had the specific kind of throat irritation that comes from reflux? No, he did not. He did a brief look up my nostrils and then issued this BS diagnosis. And seriously, dude? You do not even bring up major abdominal surgery on the strength of two 15-​minute exams and one CT scan (of the FACE).
I got a second opinion, and about the only thing the second ENT agreed with is that I have a cough.
Uh, yeah. FIRED. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

I’ve been a patient of Dr Mak’s for quite a few years and I couldn’t imagine seeing another Otolaryngologist (ENT).
Years ago, I was having tremendous pain in my left ear that had intensely worsened on a Friday afternoon. I’d never see Dr Mak, thus would be a new patient. And his receptionist was so kind as to squeeze me in same: day, on a Friday, at 4:30p, as a new patient. That says a multitude for the integrity of Dr. Mak and his office staff in wanting to help patients.
Dr Mak is a wonderful Doctor. He is kind, friendly and extremely thorough. I see him every 4 – 6 months for my ear disorder, and he always completes a very meticulous examination to ensure my ear issue, while not rectifiable, has not worsened.
Dr Mak always spends the time I need for questions and discussion regarding my heath. He never makes me feel rushed.
Very high quality and extremely intelligent MD.

I’ve been a patient for about 20 years. Always got me in right away when I needed the ears cleared, always totally professional and friendly, and a doctor I recommend to family and friends without the slightest hesitation. Highest quality MD.

I went to a ENT in San Mateo and was not very impressed. This time I needed to get in right away because I was having ear problems. So I went to my health insurances web page and started calling Drs. I called the office and the receptionist was very nice. She squeezed me in that same day. I went early to fill out paperwork (you have to do this everywhere it is more of a legal protocol than medical.) There was one patient in front of me but I did not have to wait long. Dr. Makarewycz came in and was very nice. He asked me all sorts of questions and was very thorough in his exam. He then told me what the problem was and spent a while going over what I should do and the actual cause (and inner workings) of my problem. I really liked him a lot and he has been added to my list of Doctors to see!

After having a splitting headache for a week I decided I needed to start checking possible causes off the list & arrived at Dr. Makarewycz’s office.
I do not know if all new patients are treated like this but I was asked to come early to fill out paperwork, which I did, completing it before my scheduled appt time. I was kept waiting for over 45 minutes past my appointment time. When I got to see the Doctor he spent very little time with me (5 minutes would be a VERY generous estimate), took 20 seconds to look down my ears, nose & throat and did not seem at all insterested in any of the symptoms as I tried to describe them. He did nothing to assure me that he was invested at all in the process of making me feel better.
After the «exam & consultation» he spend another 5 minutes or less at the reception desk making notes and arranging for me to have a very expensive test done before he would see me again. A test to eliminate a remote possibility is fine by me if it’s needed, but he seemed very indifferent about it, like it was more to get me out of there. I question why he didn’t have me get a cheap eye exam first to see if I needed glasses when he admitted that this was the more likely cause.