Professional Review - Dr. Robert Gazmararian, MD (SCOI-UCLA Santa Clarita) I saw Dr. Paul Simic on 2/25/26 for chronic shoulder and neck pain. He told me that my shoulder pain was coming from my neck, not the other way around, without truly examining me and based only on a few X‑rays. He did not look at my previous MRIs, yet still concluded that my shoulder pain was caused by my neck. It was very disappointing to be dismissed like that. He was in and out of the room in less than two to three minutes. I was referred to Dr. Gazmararian by Dr. Simic. I saw Dr. Gazmararian on 3/10/26 for chronic neck and shoulder pain. My shoulder blade and the muscles around it were extremely painful to even a light touch, and the right side of my shoulder and neck were so tight I could barely move. My first impression of Dr. Gazmararian was that he does not let patients talk. He immediately began using medical terminology that I did not understand, and I felt overwhelmed. He blamed my symptoms on posture, gave me a neck brace and an infinity band, and sent me to physical therapy. I could not even tell him that I had previous cervical and shoulder MRIs because he kept talking, and when he finished, he simply got up, said goodbye, and left the room. Everything happened so fast that I did not have time to process what he said. After completing six physical therapy sessions at SCOI -- where I was shown exercises I already do at the gym and received short massages each time -- I returned to see Dr. Gazmararian on 6/23/26. Unfortunately, I had a very similar experience. Again, he did not let me speak. When he said he would order an MRI, I finally managed to tell him that I wanted it done at the facility where my previous MRIs were performed. He had already left the room, but came back to enter the order. He also finally looked up my previous shoulder MRI -- something he could have done at our first appointment -- and quickly showed me images while using more medical terms I did not understand. When I received the MRI results, they clearly showed that my pain was not coming from my neck and that I do have shoulder pathology: "Mild to moderate partial tearing with partial delamination of the subscapularis, progression from the prior study. Tendinosis of the supraspinatus and anterior fibers of the infraspinatus with mild partial tearing and fraying along the bursal surface, unchanged. Mild to moderate acromioclavicular joint arthropathy with mild subacromial spurring without significant narrowing of the supraspinatus outlet, unchanged." Dr. Gazmararian may be an excellent doctor with extensive knowledge and experience, but when it comes to patient care, communication, and listening, he is severely lacking. Both times, he rushed through the appointment, did not listen, and did not give me any opportunity to speak or ask questions. There was not even a "Is there anything else I can help you with?" before he left the room. Overall, I did not have a good experience with him, nor with Dr. Simic, who dismissed my shoulder pain as coming from my neck -- which my MRIs clearly show is not the case. After reading reviews about Dr. Gazmararian on multiple patient‑review platforms, I saw that many patients reported similar experiences of being dismissed. What happened to me was clearly not an isolated issue. I do not wish to return to either of them. This is not how UCLA physicians should operate. UCLA doctors are highly respected, knowledgeable, and known for excellent patient care. Unfortunately, Dr. Simic and Dr. Gazmararian did not demonstrate those qualities. UCLA sent me an email asking me to rate my experience with Dr. Gazmararian. The email included an option to contact UCLA before leaving a review. It has been over two weeks since I reached out requesting to be contacted, and I have not heard back from anyone. read more

By far one of the most dissapointing experiences I've ever had with a doctor. A MRI ordered by my rheumatologist revealed that the pain I had was due to a broken foot rather than simply arthritis as we suspected. This doctor was the only one I could get in to see on such short notice and, given that I had been walking on this broken foot for 4+ weeks prior, I didn't want to waste time. I took the appointment. The doctor was dismissive and didn't let me speak to provide my patient history and kept interrupting me whenever I tried to say anything. Now I see why this guy is the only one available all the time. I was then sent to be fitted with a boot. I was given a paper to sign stating that I received the boot and I noticed on there that the cost was listed as $850, with a patient responsibility of $187-ish. My coinsurance is 20% so my responsibility should be $170, nothing more. Now I received the bill and I see that I am being charged $1,600 for this same boot, which will raise my coinsurance to a whopping $320! The worst part? This boot costs about $70, with the highest price I've seen online being around $100. Definitely not $850 or $1,600!! I'm so displeased with how this was handled and will be seeking legal consult regarding this matter, especially the over billing aspect. I will be continuing care for this issue with a different doctor elsewhere rather than getting ripped off here. It's a shame, I've generally received good care with UCLA but SCOI is abysmal and I'm not even sure how they ended up partnered with UCLA. read more

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Doc here writing for my partner. Would not recommend this provider. He was dismissive and the information he provided is not accurate - this is not questions his medical knowledge but rather process. It was a waste of an appt and time and energy. Then provider does not appear to care and may be benefitting from the MD shortage. If you have pain without clear etiology he doesn't appear to be the guy. read more

I am having the most Horroble pain on my bottom butt or gluten try all I went to see him I find him in souther ca orthopedic he has office in Burbank and van nuys he listen to me what my pain was not my back . I have adrenal insufficiency and where since my who body is hurting . I went back after the MRI results his assistant Reginald Tacto pa-c he is the best too he explain all my pain and why omg thank you he put an injection it feel much better on the side the injection side .. I think you god for finding such so wonderfully Doctors. The office experience the best in van nuys office personal so nice thank you read more

Update to my previous review. When I went to see Dr. Gazmarian he did not order further scans, he examined my knee and determined that I must have torn my meniscus and just bruised my knee when I fell... He suggested I "clench my leg and walk like a pirate, you know, with a peg leg". he assured me I wouldn't fall and it wouldn't give out as it had right after my accident. Fast forward to it giving out 4 times in the course of 2 days and me calling SCOI and begging and literally sobbing in messages to them to please help because my knee kept buckling and I kept falling. They finally requested an MRI but in the interim Gazmarian also prescribed physical therapy which I began immediately. A few weeks later, I had physical therapy and later was walking normally and I stepped down her to pop and had an immense pain. Fast forward to a second opinion and the second MRI results. Turns out I actually had a complete ACL tear, a torn MPFL, a dislocated knee cap, a grade 4 crack in my cartilage and finally a full meniscus tear from the PT. I need a full knee replacement. I understand no one could have guessed HOW severe my injuries were. But the fact that he belittled my injury to "walk like a pirate" is beyond insulting and honestly shockingly bad treatment. TERRIBLE. read more

After waiting over an hour to be seen, and after looking at old reports, he said there is nothing wrong. Then why am I in pain? He responded by saying there was nothing he could do and suggested I be evaluated by another doc. Let's be clear, this was an appointment made by workers comp, not by me. Is he the only doc there that evaluates workers comp cases? A waste of time and money. It was late in the afternoon and there were still patients waiting to be seen. Condescending attitude and lack of compassion may be the reason for his poor yelp reviews. read more

Was brought to the room quickly Doctor came in a short time. He was Very friendly and straightforward

I went in for a torn ACL and meniscus and Dr. Gazmarian was professional and helpful in every way. I'm not sure why he has low reviews, but he treated with respect and was straight forward with my injury and what the steps to surgery and recovery would be. read more

My Dr referred me to Gazmarian after years of excruciating pain in my upper, mid and lower back. She tried meds and PT, but nothing helped. The bump in the middle of my back was the worst. First visit with Gazmarian. Had X-rays done. His "assistant" came in first (young guy), said I had arthritis in my neck and that's it. My back problem was probably due to bad posture. Gazmarian walks in, looks at X-rays and tells me I don't have arthritis and I have bad posture, that's causing my excruciating pains. Went home. After a few months I couldn't take the pain anymore. Went back. He ordered an MRI. Came back for results, his "assistant" walks in again. I'm surprised because I'm here to see the specialist, not his assistant in training. He tells me I have a near perfect spine and there's 2mm bulges in my lower back, but that's nothing and shouldn't cause pain. I asked about the bump in my mid back, he said the results didn't show anything in that area. "There's nothing wrong with you". Went back to my Dr in tears due to the pain. She referred me to a chiropractor. The Dr I saw there told me that I have many things noted on my MRI and showed me where the MRI detected bulges and degeneration. It was exactly where the bump was and where most of my pain was coming from. He told me that 2mm is enough to cause severe pain and more. He said the "assistant" should have never told me there was "nothing wrong with my spine", because it was far from the truth. The Dr explained everything on the MRI to me, and it was the opposite of what the "assistant" told me. 3 visits with Gazmarian's office, just to be told there's nothing wrong, when in fact there was several causes to my severe pain. A total waste of money. I agree with the other reviews. He does like to talk a lot, be overly friendly and show off to his students. DON'T COME HERE!!! read more

Dr. Gazmarian should not be practicing medicine. I came to him a few months ago with a re-aggravated disc herniation that left me in constant, debilitating pain and unable to train--something that's a cornerstone of my life and mental health. I had successfully been treated with a cortisone injection in 2020 for the exact same injury. I explained this clearly. I knew what I needed. I just needed a competent doctor to help me get there. Instead, I got Dr. Gazmarian--who immediately dismissed my pain because I "looked fine" and kept my composure. He barely listened. He prescribed a useless anti-inflammatory pill and ordered an MRI, which confirmed exactly what I already knew: a disc pressing on my nerves. Instead of addressing the obvious, he became obsessed with an old numb spot in my glute that I casually mentioned--something completely unrelated to the current injury--and ignored the actual MRI results entirely. From there, it got worse. He wasted my time and money with a second MRI of my hips, ordered expensive nerve testing for my legs, (both for no reason, no symptoms mentioned affected my pelvis or legs) and even casually suggested I might have tumors. It felt like being stuck in some arrogant, delusional doctor's personal science experiment. But I gave him the benefit of the doubt, but because in the end, he is the doctor and not me. All this excessive testing showed nothing wrong with my hips and legs (as expected, which I told him from the beginning), and I was left with the ever-persisting low back pain L5-S1 from before. When I once again asked for the cortisone injection that had helped me recover before, he refused--said he'd "never" give me one--and told me I just had to "get used to the pain." and if I really want to exercise, should just "work through it" (when I can barely put on my shoes, sneeze or load the dishwasher). He called it a "deep muscular issue," gave me another physical therapy referral to a friend of his (who overcharges), after months of non-successful PT already, and sent me on my way like I was a nuisance, not a patient. I left that appointment devastated, in tears, and full of doubt--not just in him, but in myself. His behavior wasn't just incompetent--it was cold, condescending, and honestly, felt blatantly sexist. I have no doubt he would have treated a man differently. He showed zero empathy, zero curiosity, and zero interest in actually helping me. A week later, I saw Dr. Rispoli--who looked at the exact same MRI and immediately scheduled the cortisone injection I should have received months ago. She treated me like a human being, validated my pain, and gave me a real treatment plan--including the possibility of a minor surgery down the line to decompress the nerve. In one visit, she did more for me than Dr. Gazmarian did in three. If you're in pain, do yourself a favor: avoid this man like the plague. He is the embodiment of everything wrong with arrogant, dismissive healthcare. I wouldn't trust him with a houseplant, let alone my health. read more

I'm pretty sure he's a bad plumber. Loves to hear himself blab. Maybe he should get a job in politics, or on a garbage truck cuz, he's not really able to pull off the doctor persona, never mind the knowledge part. It's been 6 months and resting-bitch-face at the desk still can't send me a report on my MRI. Totally useless, don't waste your time and money. Dr Bloze was the best at SCOIE. She retired and now they have this hack. No comparison. Don't even bother. You can learn more googling online. read more

DO NOT IGNORE THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS. One of, if not the, the worst medical experiences I have ever had. If I could give zero stars I would. Dr Gazmarian was incredibly rude, condescending, and insensitive. After no luck at PT, I was referred to his office. I saw the negative reviews online and wish I had taken them more into consideration. During my appointment, he barely listened to what I had to say, literally told me my pain was due to my "sh***y posture", halfheartedly recommended me to PT but also said that "all the PT in the world might not work if you don't fix the problem," even though he offered no advice on what that solution to the problem would be. His bedside manner is nonexistent. I told him I had been trying to address my at times debilitating health issue for years, yet he talked to me like I was stupid and lazy, told me he was "telling me like it is because maybe no one ever has," and acted shocked when I burst into tears. As he was leaving the room, I had to then ask him what PT he would recommend, he had forgotten to even refer me and wouldn't have if I had not asked. As if all of that was not enough, the referral online did not process and came up as incomplete...at which point I had to laugh at his incompetence. I filed a complaint online but based on the other reviews it seems unlikely he will face any actual consequences. All I can say is that if you are looking for a doctor that actually cares about your issues, wants to help, or even treats you with any basic human dignity, this is not the doctor for you. read more

I saw Dr. Gazmarian today for some back pain. He was very kind and really took the time to help and educate me. Despite him having many other patients to see, our visit did not feel rushed. I got the sense that he genuinely cared about my pain and he gave me some very actionable recommendations on how I could go about resolving and managing it for the future. He started with lifestyle recommendations and was not quick to recommend any sort of medication or surgery. I'm hopeful with a little work my pain will get resolved. I also found the facility to be comfortable and well equipped and the staff to be very helpful! read more

This dr is HORRIBLE! Do not waist your time. He is arrogant and lacks compassion and empathy for anyone that steps in his room. He refuses to provide any information regarding your medical condition and will brush you off if you have any questions at all. He only wants to hear himself talk. I ended up in tears, leaving his office feeling more horrible than I had felt when I had initially walked in. You can be a horrible doctor, but as long as you have compassion and empathy for your patients , that will go a long way. On the flip side, You can be the best doctor in the world, but if you are pompous rude and arrogant, lacking empathy and compassion, your no longer good at your job! read more

Dr Gazmarian is one of the finest diagnosticians in Southern California. If you're having pain and no one else can figure it out, Dr. G can and will get you better! read more

Very kind and helpful with a couple of my arthritis issues. Discovered a minor birth defect I never knew I had which contributes to some of my pain. Helped my thumb joint with injections but knew when it was time to recommend surgery. Great MD read more

Please ignore previous negative comments. Dr. Gazmarian was friendly, polite and very respectful. He did a thorough exam for my issue and answered all of my questions. He explained everything in detail as to what he was doing and the results. I highly recommend him! read more

He is a disgrace for a doctor. If you care for your health and well being, never go see this doctor. The most unprofessional doctor I've ever met. He masks his incompetency by a peculiar sentence of humor. read more

I was referred to Robert Gazmarian for an orthopedic issue and I can honestly say he's by far the very worse doctor that I've ever seen. I don't take pride in saying bad things about people, but he has no business in the medical profession, specifically where patients are involved. He's rude, arrogant, abusive and he doesn't listen. Just a very horrible doctor. If he's referred, please go to another doctor. You'll be much happier. read more

He is the rudest, most uncaring person I have ever met in my life. My daughter, who has autism, injured her foot and when I called SCOI, he was the only one available on short notice. Within 2 minutes of entering the room, he was trying to leave that is when I told him I had more questions; he told me he does not treat individuals with autism; then he asked me and her caregiver to cause pain to her injured foot so he can see her reaction!!!!! His behavior and his statements were shocking to me and her caregiver. He billed our insurance $864.00 for making a less than 5 min appearance. read more

SAVE YOURSELF. SEE SOMEONE ELSE. ANYBODY ELSE. He's quite literally the worse doctor I've ever seen. He gives no F about you or your pain. He's very often the only avail back doctor at SCOI, and there's a reason for that. I've just asked for a new referral. He lectures, he loves to hear his own voice, he barely has time to help you, he gives zero F that you're in pain. He recommends PT "only if it helps". I'm still in pain (from a pretty bad car accident) and the meds he gave me do nothing but he still "wouldn't recommend anything else, so take them if they help and not if they don't" "just don't do the movements that hurt" -- which in my case, is walking or sitting. So that's hard to avoid. He walks out of the room when he's done making his presentation without saying a word. Then a nurse comes in: You can go now. "Oh, we were done? but he hasn't told me what to do to help. I could go on and on and on. I was supposed to hop on a flight and asked if he could do something for the pain, his response was "well, don't go if you're scared you'll hurt". He offered to give me a shot in THREE WEEKS. Oh, he also does NOT like to be interrupted. He was making what sounded like a power point presentation of my MRI and that was it. "I'm not finished telling you about your MRI" -- I was only asking what he can do to help and fix me. Once he was finally done, he still didn't tell me what I could do. He reviewed the MRI. Discs are herniated. Then he walks out. You figure it out. EVEN IF YOU'RE IN THE WORSE PAIN EVER, WAIT until somebody else is available. He's a whack. If I could give less than one star, I SO WOULD. Seriously, he's got a lot of ONE STARS. Check Google and other sources... It's for a reason. We should really all report him. Not sure he should be allowed to practice medicine (if that's even what he does, because really....). read more

I am very confused by earlier reviews that gave this doctor only 1 star. I will have echo previous review that there must be 2 Dr. with same last name as doctor that is described by 1 star is not the doctor that I seen. This doctor came in with a smile despite a mask. He was very attentive, explain exactly what was is wrong with me. From start of the appointment until the end he probably spent good 30 minutes or so. He answered all of my questions, prescribed 3 different medication, gave me referral to MRI. Basically I came in with no diagnoses and left knowing exactly what is wrong with me and what the plan for treatment is. read more

Had a negative experience with the doctor. He misdiagnosed my condition and instead of referring me to a spine specialist in his own practice he sent me for 4 months of physical therapy. During that time my condition worsened. I ended up seeing the spine doctor in his own practice and required surgery, read more

I injured my knee last Thursday, I immediately called Dr. Gazmarian since he's seen me before. His coordinator Ceyli Aleman advised me the doctor was busy and that she'd call me within 2 hours. She never did, so I called her and left a message that same day. I was waiting until noon the next day (Friday) and no calls back from her or the office, so I went ahead and called again. Ceyli aswered my call and said the doctor is still busy... I explained to her that my knee hurt really bad. She said she'd call me back before the end of the day (Friday). Today is Monday 10pm and she never called. How can a doctor like Dr. Gazmarian have someone that unprofessional working for him. I'll have to find a new Doctor. read more

If I could give less than one star for SCOI in Van Nuys I would. This place doesn't deserve to have even one star. I fell in a street and had some scars on my left hand and my left knee. I saw Dr Gazmarian (who is not a surgeon) at SCOI in Van Nuys a week after to make sure I don't have any broken bones. They did 2 x-rays, and the doctor spent 5-7 minutes with me and told me there is no broken bone, and I will be fine in a few weeks. I have Cigna PPO for my health insurance. Two weeks after I received a bill of $535 from UCLA Health with no break-down that why I am being charged so high. I was shocked. I had never had such a big bill from an orthopedic office. They charged me 3 times more than my regular orthopedic doctor who is also a surgeon in WestHills medical center. I will never go back to this place again. They will take advantage of you and your insurance company, and will bill insurance companies as much as they want with wrong codes, and patients will be the victim of this process. read more

Dr Gazmarian is pompous and dismissive. He like to hear him self speak, forget it if you have a question about your condition. My bulging discs and stenosis will be treated else were. read more

DO NOT SEE THIS DOCTOR! He was one of the rudest and sexist people I have ever interacted with. Both of my parents are doctors and he brings a bad name to anyone in the profession. I came to see Dr Gazmarian for a car accident injury 10 months prior. I have seen 2 PTs, an acupuncturist, biomechanics specialists, and multiple doctors with no official diagnosis. My eyes had been a little teary from the pain and MRI. As we walked to the room, the staff nurse went out of her way to as me to not be emotional in front of the doctor. I thought it was a very odd comment. Once I met him, I understood what she tried to warn me of. I tried to explain my situation and the pain and he would not listen, nor let me finish. He also argued with me about the limit of workers comp physical therapy sessions I was allowed, even though I was approved to have more sessions than the normal patient (and it was irrelevant to me seeing him). After seeing me for 5 minutes he told me, "I have football players that get over this injury in a month". I asked him what my injury was and he wouldn't answer me. He also elaborated to say that even if he found something on my MRI there would be no guarantee workers compensation would pay for it (not something you say to someone in chronic pain who's on disability). When I was visibly upset by these comments he asked if there was any reason I should be emotional. I told him I had gotten an IUD, was on my cycle, and didn't sleep the night before. He replied by saying, "I have 4 daughters and my wife is a gynaecologist, that is no excuse." At this time, my nurse case manager walked in, she noticed that he wouldn't even let me speak at that point.. and he said "You need to just trust your doctors". I shook my head without thinking because I was sexually harassed by a doctor about a two years ago. He got very upset when I shook my head. When I apologised for shaking my head and explained my reaction to him, he looked at my nurse case manager and said, "Thank god you're in here, who know's what she would say about me." After this comment, my case manager said we needed to report him to his supervisors immediately and we did so. I am glad there was a witness to his behaviour. I have never been so personally attacked for my gender, let alone by a medical 'professional'. He was arrogant, insulting, and insensitive. I do not recommend him under any circumstances. If you go to https://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/125213/Dr-Robert-Gazmarian-Van+Nuys-CA.html there are more reviews on him and I recommend reviewing them. read more

PATIENT COORDINATOR DOES NOT COORDINATE. After a TWO-HOUR wait and one hour drive to Valencia, my son (in pain) was told that Dr. Gazmarian was not in-network for with our insurance plan. And worse, there wasn't anyone who could see or help him. We were happy to pay cash just to be seen but she couldn't even tell us how much it would be. He has been a regular patient at SCOI in Van Nuys (as a football player) so it was outrageous that no one informed him of this until three hours of our day was wasted. read more

I've been going to Dr Gazmarian for many years now, my mother referred me. He's easy to talk to, remembers my issues even if I hadn't seen him in over a year. I trust his suggestions and guidance. His staff is always helpful as well. read more

Dr. Gazmarian has treated me for years now and he absolutely works wonders. After going to other doctors and being in immense pain with no solutions, I finally found this office and it was life changing. I wouldn't go anywhere else at this point. The Dr. is warm, approachable, and answered all of my questions and did not make me feel rushed at all. You can tell he truly enjoys helping people. He diagnosed my injury accurately and set a plan to get me onto the road to recovery. His assistant Ceyli is also amazing, super helpful and very responsive. I highly recommend this office to anyone that wants to get better soon! read more

I am very impressed with Dr. Gazmarian. He is a thoughtful physician, and takes into account your needs. He is thorough and makes sure you understand what is going on...I would highly recommend him. I also wish to mention his Medical Assistant, Ceyli Aleman. She is very professional and understanding. I was in a great deal of pain, and felt I couldn't wait to get in to see the Dr. Left her a message. She got back to me and got me in this morning. I greatly appreciated that. read more

I have seen the doctor two years in a row for two different fractures in the same leg. :( Although Dr. Gazmarian is a FABULOUS DOCTOR, I hope to have a break from all bone breaks. read more

I'm not sure why he gets 5 stars. He was very nice in my first appointment and I liked him. He rushed through my MRI results in the 2nd and as I was about to ask questions, he stood up signaling the appointment was over. I went ahead and scheduled the procedure and left a message with his assistant - I spoke to her over the phone - that I had questions before the procedure - but she failed to give him my message. That's another problem - trying to get someone on the phone is next to impossible. You always get voice mail. I cancelled the procedure and finally spoke with Dr. Gazmarian. During that conversation, he advised I should come in with a list of questions. How do I know what questions when I don't have my test results? When I advised I was about to to ask questions but he signaled the appt. was over, he told me I should find another doctor. I'm one to refer friends when I receive good service, but I do not recommend Dr. Gazmarian. There are much better facilities and doctors out there than Dr. G and SCOI. read more

I've been using SCOI for about 8 years. I have a herniated disc. I decided to use Dr Gazmarian. My dad and a coworker referred me to him. It was a short visit, but I felt the need to review him. I know he has no reviews on here but he deserves one. He's knowledgable and good at communicating. I look forward to my follow up appointment. read more