Linda R. Bernstein, PharmD, graduated in 1977 from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Pharmacy with a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree. After two years of residency training (General Hospital and Evaluative Research ), she became a faculty member at UCSF and began her professional career as a clinical pharmacy researcher, studying the impact of pharmacy services on physician prescribing practices. She was a co-recipient of the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists Research Award in 1983. Bernstein served as clinical professor and senior pharmacist at the UCSF School of Pharmacy from 1979 to 1996, where she continues as a volunteer faculty member.
Bernstein currently serves as director of commercial solutions for Sentrx, a global drug safety company. She was a staff pharmacist at the Jewish Home for the Aged in San Francisco from 2009 to 2011. She served as a staff pharmacist at the UCSF Medical Center, Inpatient Department. She was an associate scientific director for an international medical communications company. She served from 2003 to 2006 as clinical pharmacist with a specialty in epidemiology and emergency preparedness for the San Francisco Department of Public Health. She was the manager of marketing and promotions and media spokesperson for Safeway Inc. Corporate Pharmacy Operations from 1996 to 2003. She also owns her own medical communications company, Vita Media Corporation, in San Francisco (www.vitamediacorp.com). She is a veteran pharmacist, educator, media producer, writer, and on-air talent specializing in the development of innovative educational programs for health professionals and consumers. She has raised millions of dollars over the past 25 years to support her research and media programs.
Bernstein is also an award-winning “media pharmacist.” Her consumer television health messages have been broadcast on PBS, KTVU Fox Television, KRON TV in San Francisco, and on the United Airlines Entertainment Network. She hosted her own radio program for 10 years called "In the Medicine Cabinet." She has appeared as a guest expert on CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, CNN, The Home Show, Dr. Dean Edell syndicated segments, and many others. She has hosted, produced, and co-written several professional education series on Lifetime Medical Television. Her program on Alzheimer's disease received the C. Everett Koop, M.D. Award for "Best Professional Video" from the International Health and Medical Film Festival in 1994. She has published more than 100 articles, pamphlets, and booklets in major medical and pharmacy journals and consumer publications including the New England Journal of Medicine, American Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, Emergency Medicine, Newsweek, Parenting, Safeway Fresh Ideas, Select, Hippocrates and Walgreens diabetes magazines and pharmacy pamphlets. The Family Vacation Health and Safety Guide is her first major consumer book. She is the Year 2000 Winner of the Paul C. Rogers Medication Communicator Award, Individual Category, of the National Council on Patient Information and Education and served as consultant and media spokesperson for its BeMedWise national campaign. She currently serves as a medical reviewer/writer for WebMD.com. In her spare time, she does singing concerts for seniors in the community.