Russell A. Johnson, MD
Accepting New Patients

Russell A. Johnson, MD

  • Pediatrics|
  • Internal Medicine
Average rating: 5.0
 
CARE Center |

About

Dr. Johnson received his medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School. Prior to medical school he was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Melbourne in Australia and during medical school he was a National Institutes of Health Fogarty Scholar at the International Center for Diarrheal Diseases Research, Bangladesh. Dr. Johnson went on to complete a dual residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Utah. During residency he pursued training in tropical and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) medicine while attending the Gorgas Course in Clinical Tropical Medicine in Lima, Peru. Throughout his final year of residency he gained clinical experience in HIV primary care medicine seeing patients in the University of Utah Clinic 1A. He subsequently became certified as an HIV specialist by the American Academy of HIV Medicine.

Dr. Johnson spends the majority of his clinical time at the UCLA Clinical AIDS Research and Education (CARE) Center. There he provides primary care for patients living with HIV, as well as HIV preventative services for adolescents and adults at risk for HIV infection. Dr. Johnson is also part of the CARE Center’s anal cancer screening and prevention team, performing high resolution anoscopy to diagnose and treat precancerous lesions in at risk individuals. Dr. Johnson spends the remainder of his time seeing pediatric patients at the Santa Monica 16th Street Internal Medicine and Pediatrics clinic, both as a primary care and urgent care physician. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Johnson is involved in teaching medical students, residents, and LGBTQ fellows.

Dr. Johnson is passionate about the medical humanities and health messaging through media. He has published numerous op-eds in news outlets such as STAT! and has a TikTok channel educating viewers about HIV and sexually transmitted infections. In his spare time, he enjoys surfing, telemark skiing, drumming, writing, and traveling.

Languages

English

Education

Medical Board Certifications

Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2017
Pediatrics, American Board of Pediatrics, 2017

Residency

Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, University of Utah Health Care GME Office, 2017

Degrees

MD, University of Minnesota School of Medicine (MD Degree Only), 2013
MS, University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine, 2009

Recognitions

  • LGBTQ+ champion
  • Super Doctors® Southern California Rising Stars 2024, 2025
  • Golden Apple Award for excellence in teaching, University of Utah Department of Pediatrics, 2015

Hospital Affiliations

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center

UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital

Insurance

  • Aetna
  • Anthem Blue Cross
  • Blue Shield of California
  • Centivo
  • Cigna
  • First Health
  • Health Net of California
  • Interplan (part of HealthSmart)
  • Medicare Advantage
  • MultiPlan
  • UFCM Health System
  • Prime Health Services
  • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
  • TRICARE
  • UnitedHealthcare

The list of health care plans above may not be comprehensive and could change. 
Please contact your benefits coordinator or health insurance company directly to verify coverage.

Visit our health insurance information page for more details.

Recognitions

  • Super Doctors® Southern California Rising Stars 2024, 2025
  • Golden Apple Award for excellence in teaching, University of Utah Department of Pediatrics, 2015

Reviews

Overall Rating:
5.0
154 total ratings | 108 reviews
5.0
July 30, 2025
Tremendously caring, thoroughly and comprehensively informative, deeply invested in making a sincere and supportive connection with his patients. Truly exceptional on both medical and humanistic bases.
5.0
July 29, 2025
Dr. Johnson has great "bedside manner" and took care to make sure that I was completely comfortable and informed throughout my procedure today.
5.0
July 29, 2025
Dr. Johnson communicated with me through every step of the procedure, making sure i was comfortable, and that I wasn't in any pain. He gladly took the time to answer any and all questions, and he made sure that I did not feel rushed at any point in the visit. Dr. Johnson is an excellent physician and I trust his guidance and opinion.
5.0
July 23, 2025
He took time to explain my diagnosis and treatment options. I couldn’t have asked for more.
5.0
July 22, 2025
Dr. Johnson is an excellent doctor. He thoroughly reviewed my results and gave me peace of mind that I’ll be okay. Thank you! 😊