Dr. Sigurbjorn Birgisson

Dr. Sigurbjorn Birgisson, MD, is a Staff Physician in the Digestive Disease Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Birgisson was the Director of the Center for Swallowing and Esophageal disorders at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio.

Dr. Birgisson received his medical degree and master's degree in Medical and Biomedical Ethics from the University of Iceland.​​​​​​​​​​ He began his career in Iceland in 1990 with a one year internship. He then completed his residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Gastroenterology at Metro Health Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, US.

Additionally, he completed a one year fellowship in Motility at Cleveland Clinic Ohio under the mentorship of Dr. Joel E. Richter, former Chief of Gastroenterology at the hospital. Following that, Dr. Birgisson returned to Iceland to work as a part-time Gastroenterologist at the National University Hospital of Iceland and at a private practice.

In 1999, he became a full-time Consultant Gastroenterologist at the National University of Iceland. He established and directed a Gastrointestinal physiology laboratory at the hospital. In 2005, he was appointed as Director of the Endoscopy Unit at the National University Hospital Iceland. He also served for one year as Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at the same establishment.

PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY

• 1983 - 1989: UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, REYKJAVIK, ICELAND. Doctor of Medicine (MD)
• 1995 - 1996: CLEVELAND CLINIC, CLEVELAND, OHIO, US. Advanced Fellowship, Gastrointestinal Motility, Department of Gastroenterology; Clinical Scholar, Advanced Endoscopy
• 1993 - 1995: METRO HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER, CLEVELAND, OHIO, US. Fellow, Gastroenterology
• 1990 - 1993: METRO HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER, CLEVELAND, OHIO, US. Resident, Internal Medicine

WORK EXPERIENCES

• 2012 - 2014: CLEVELAND CLINIC, CLEVELAND, OHIO, US. Director, Center for Swallowing and Esophageal Disorders
• 2006 - 2012: UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, REYKJAVIK, ICELAND. Assistant Professor
• 1998 - 2011: SKILLED NURSING FACILITY, HVERADERDI, ICELAND. Chief, Geriatric Medicine
• 1996 - 2003: DOMUS MEDICA AND LAEKNASETRID, REYKJAVIK, ICELAND. Private Practice, Gastroenterologist
• 1996 - 2012: THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF ICELAND, REYKJAVIK, ICELAND. Consultant, Gastroenterologist