Margaret R. Li, MD, FACR

If you’ve ever Googled a doctor’s name and been greeted by a soup of letters (MD, FACR, and maybe a few more that
look like a Wi-Fi password), you’re not alone. The good news: those letters actually mean something. And in the case
of Margaret R. Li, MD, FACR, they point to a career centered on rheumatologythe medical specialty that deals with
autoimmune and inflammatory conditions that love to pick fights with your joints (and sometimes the rest of you, too).

This article is a practical, reader-friendly profile of Dr. Liwhat her credentials indicate, what rheumatologists do,
and what you can expect if you’re seeking care for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus,
osteoarthritis, gout, and more. We’ll also cover how her work shows up across major U.S. health and wellness outlets
as a medical reviewer, and why that matters for people who want trustworthy health information without needing a PhD
in “Internet Research Studies.”

At-a-Glance: Who Is Margaret R. Li, MD, FACR?

• Specialty: Rheumatology (with a strong internal medicine foundation)
• Board certification: Internal Medicine and Rheumatology
• Notable designation: FACR (Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology)
• Approach: Integrative medicine emphasis (mind-body, lifestyle, nutritionalongside standard medical care)
• Affiliation/practice setting: Publicly listed as a practicing physician with NYU Langone-related settings
• Public education footprint: Medical reviewer and contributor across major U.S.-facing health platforms

What “FACR” Means (And Why It’s Not Just Fancy Alphabet Jewelry)

FACR stands for Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology. In plain English, it’s an
honors designation granted by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). The ACR describes it as a recognition of
members’ professional accomplishments and contributions to the field. It’s not a separate medical license and it
doesn’t replace board certificationbut it signals peer-recognized standing in rheumatology.

Think of board certification as “This clinician met rigorous specialty standards.” Think of FACR as “This clinician’s
peers and professional body recognize a higher level of professional achievement.” Different lanesboth meaningful.

Rheumatology 101: The Problems Rheumatologists Solve

Rheumatology is where medicine meets the immune system’s occasional habit of being a little too enthusiastic. Many
rheumatologic conditions involve inflammation, immune dysregulation, chronic pain, and fatigue. Some conditions are
autoimmune (the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues), while others are degenerative or inflammatory in
different ways.

Conditions commonly managed in rheumatology care

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): An autoimmune disease that primarily targets joints but can have whole-body effects.
• Psoriatic arthritis (PsA): Inflammatory arthritis linked to psoriasis, sometimes affecting skin, nails, and joints.
• Lupus (SLE): An autoimmune condition that can involve joints, skin, kidneys, blood, and other organs.
• Gout: A form of inflammatory arthritis driven by uric acid crystal buildupoften dramatic, often painful.
• Osteoarthritis (OA): A degenerative joint condition that can still cause inflammation, stiffness, and major life impact.
• Other inflammatory conditions: Ankylosing spondylitis and related spondyloarthropathies, vasculitis, and more.

In real life, these diagnoses often come with overlap: fatigue that doesn’t match your schedule, pain that doesn’t
politely stay in one joint, and symptoms that fluctuate like they’re trying to keep you guessing. Rheumatology care
helps turn that mystery novel into a plan.

Dr. Li’s Clinical Identity: Classic Rheumatology + Integrative Medicine

Across multiple public professional bios, Dr. Li is described as an ABMS board-certified physician with experience in
internal medicine and rheumatology, and as a practicing physician within NYU Langone-related settings.
Those bios also note she completed a two-year fellowship in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona.

That combination matters because rheumatology often requires both:
(1) precision medicinelabs, imaging, disease-modifying therapy, and careful monitoring; and
(2) long-game supportsleep, stress, nutrition, movement, coping skills, and sustainable routines.
Integrative medicine doesn’t mean “skip real medicine.” It typically means adding evidence-informed lifestyle and
mind-body strategies to support whole-person care.

What “treating the whole person” can look like in rheumatology

• Mind-body tools: Stress management, guided relaxation, breathing work, and practical coping strategies.
• Movement and function: Gentle strength training, mobility work, PT/OT strategies, pacing, and joint protection.
• Nutrition and lifestyle: A realistic look at eating patterns, weight changes, inflammation triggers, and cardiovascular risk.
• Medication optimization: Using the right meds at the right timeand monitoring for safety.

If that sounds like “a lot,” it is. Chronic inflammatory disease rarely fits into a 10-minute conversation. That’s why
clinicians who combine specialty expertise with integrative tools can be especially helpful for patients who want a plan
that works in the real world, not just in theory.

Training, Certifications, and Professional Recognition

Publicly available profiles list Dr. Li’s medical education and training in New York, including rheumatology fellowship,
internal medicine residency, and an MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine. Separate medical advisor bios
also list education through the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education (City College of New York) and highlight
her integrative medicine fellowship training at the University of Arizona.

Her listed certifications include American Board of Internal Medicine certification in Internal Medicine and
Rheumatology, along with the FACR designation. Certain medical advisor bios also note a professional
accomplishment: receiving the Jones/Lovell Rheumatology Scholarship at the University of Arizona’s Center for Integrative
Medicine.

One practical note: some publisher bios explicitly state the individual is no longer an active reviewer in their network
and that credentials/contact information may not be current. That doesn’t invalidate the achievements listedit just
means you should verify the most current practice details through official clinical channels if you’re trying to book
an appointment.

Why You’ve Probably Seen Her Name Online: Medical Review and Public Education

Dr. Li’s name appears as a medical reviewer across multiple major health and wellness websites. Medical review is
the quality-control step where a clinician checks an article’s clinical accuracy, clarity, and consistency with accepted
medical standardsespecially important for topics like arthritis symptoms, flare management, and treatment options.

Examples of health topics that have carried her medical review include:

• Rheumatoid arthritis experiences and symptoms: how flares can feel and why symptoms can extend beyond joints.
• Hot/cold therapy for arthritis: when heat helps stiffness and when cold helps swelling and pain.
• Osteoarthritis and daily function: how OA can affect work demands and when accommodations may help.
• RA “beyond the joints” symptoms: fatigue, brain fog, and other systemic effects.
• Finger arthritis management: differences between OA, RA, and PsA in the hands and what treatments tend to be used.

This matters for SEO (yes, really). Articles with credible medical review can build reader trust, improve engagement,
and reduce misinformationthree things Google and Bing increasingly reward. In other words: medically reviewed content
isn’t just good for your health; it’s good for your bounce rate.

What It’s Like to See a Rheumatologist (A Friendly Preview)

If you’ve never been to rheumatology, here’s the vibe: it’s part detective work, part long-term strategy, and part “let’s
get your life back from the inflammation gremlin.” A typical visit may include:

1) The timeline (aka your symptoms’ origin story)

Expect questions like: When did symptoms start? Which joints? Morning stiffnesshow long? Anything that triggers flares?
Fatigue? Rashes? Eye issues? Digestive changes? Rheumatology cares about patterns.

2) Exam + function check

A clinician may look for joint swelling, tenderness, range of motion limits, skin or nail changes, and signs that point
to inflammatory disease versus mechanical pain.

3) Labs and imaging (when helpful)

Tests can support a diagnosis and guide treatment. But rheumatology rarely relies on a single “magic lab.” It’s usually
a story built from multiple clues.

4) Treatment planning (the part you actually came for)

Depending on the condition, plans may involve medications (like NSAIDs, steroids, DMARDs, biologics), physical therapy,
occupational therapy, lifestyle modifications, and symptom-management tools such as heat/cold therapy. Integrative care
approaches can also incorporate stress management, sleep strategies, and nutrition guidance.

Pro tip: bring a symptom log or photos of swelling/rashes when symptoms fluctuate. Your joints may behave perfectly on
appointment daylike they’re trying to win an award for “Most Innocent.”

Practical Examples: Where Dr. Li’s Focus Shows Up in Patient-Relevant Topics

Example A: Psoriatic arthritis isn’t just a joint problem

In patient education content, PsA is often explained as a systemic inflammatory conditionmeaning it can impact more than
joints. Guidance commonly includes how inflammation and reduced activity can contribute to muscle weakness, and how lifestyle
adjustments and treatment adherence can protect function over time.

Example B: Heat vs. icesimple, but surprisingly easy to get wrong

Many arthritis resources describe a common rule of thumb: heat can help loosen stiffness and soothe aching muscles,
while cold can reduce swelling and numb sharp pain. People often experiment to see what works best, and some alternate
methods during flares.

Example C: Osteoarthritis can affect workeven when it’s “not autoimmune”

OA is sometimes treated like the “less dramatic” arthritis. But OA can impact mobility, productivity, and job demandsespecially
in roles involving standing, lifting, repetitive motion, or even prolonged sitting. Education about workplace accommodations
and functional strategies can be a big deal for quality of life.

Example D: RA symptoms can go beyond swollen joints

Patient-facing RA content often highlights that fatigue, cognitive “fog,” mood changes, and systemic symptoms can show up alongside
joint pain and stiffness. The goal is to help people recognize symptoms early, take flares seriously, and stay engaged with treatment.

How to Choose a Rheumatologist (Without Spiraling Into a Review Rabbit Hole)

If you’re considering a rheumatologistwhether Dr. Li or any other clinicianhere are practical criteria that actually help:

• Credentials: board certification and relevant fellowship training.
• Clinical focus fit: some rheumatologists have deeper experience in certain conditions (RA, lupus, spondyloarthritis, etc.).
• Communication style: you want “explains clearly,” not “speaks only in lab values.”
• Care model: does the practice support long-term follow-up, monitoring, and interdisciplinary care (PT/OT, etc.)?
• Integrative support: if you value lifestyle and mind-body tools, look for clinicians comfortable discussing them responsibly.

And yes, online bios matterespecially when they show consistent specialty focus and credible medical review roles. Just remember:
ratings can reflect customer-service experiences more than clinical outcomes, and they rarely capture nuance. Use reviews as one data
point, not the entire universe.

Experience: The Human Side of Rheumatology (A 500-Word Real-World Add-On)

Rheumatology care is often a long relationshipnot a one-time fix. And that’s where a profile like “Margaret R. Li, MD, FACR”
becomes more than a name on a page. The experiences people have in rheumatology tend to follow a few familiar arcs, especially when
they’re dealing with inflammatory arthritis or autoimmune disease.

First comes the “Is this normal?” phase. Someone wakes up with stiff hands that take an hour to loosen. A knee swells for no
obvious reason. A person with psoriasis starts feeling joint pain and wonders if it’s “just aging” or something else. This phase
is full of self-doubt and half-solutions: switching pillows, blaming the weather, trying a new supplement because a coworker swore by it.
A rheumatologist visit often turns that confusion into a structured mapwhat symptoms matter, what patterns suggest inflammation, and what
should be tested.

Then comes the “Please tell me this isn’t forever” conversation. Chronic disease is scary because it threatens the future.
Patients want to know: Will I still be able to work? Exercise? Travel? Hold my kid? Play basketball? Type without pain? That’s where
rheumatology is at its best: not just naming a diagnosis, but outlining what can realistically improveand how. Public-facing education
that Dr. Li is associated with (arthritis symptom management, heat/ice strategies, work and function considerations, and RA/PsA realities)
mirrors the kinds of questions patients ask in real clinic rooms: “What can I do today?” and “What changes my long-term outcome?”

Next is the trial-and-adjust phase. Medications can be incredibly effective, but they’re not instant. Lifestyle changes are useful,
but they’re not magic. Patients often learn pacing: doing enough to stay strong without triggering a flare. They may also learn “flare logistics”:
heat for stiffness in the morning, cold for swelling after activity, short walks rather than all-or-nothing workouts, and sleep routines that
don’t collapse the second life gets busy. If integrative medicine is part of the clinician’s toolkit, patients may be coached to treat stress like
a symptombecause it often behaves like one.

Finally, there’s the “I’m still me” phase. This is where people stop measuring success as “zero symptoms” and start measuring it as
“more life.” More walks. More energy. Fewer bad days. Better strength. Less fear around movement. The best rheumatology care supports that shift
with disease control, function goals, and practical strategies that make daily living easier.

That’s why profiles like Dr. Li’s resonate: the credentials (MD, board certification, FACR) signal deep specialty expertise, while the integrative
training signals an interest in the full context of illnesssleep, stress, nutrition, movement, and how someone actually lives. Rheumatology isn’t
only about joints. It’s about getting your life back from the body’s overactive alarm systemone informed decision at a time.

Conclusion

Margaret R. Li, MD, FACR is publicly profiled as a board-certified rheumatologist with an integrative medicine background and a visible
role in medical review for major U.S. health platforms. For readers, that combination is valuable: it points to specialty-level clinical training
plus a commitment to clear, evidence-informed patient education.

If you’re dealing with joint pain, stiffness, fatigue, or suspected inflammatory disease, rheumatology care can be a turning pointespecially when
it blends the essentials (accurate diagnosis and appropriate therapy) with the practicals (lifestyle strategies, symptom tools, and long-term support).
And if you’re researching a clinician like Dr. Li, the most useful takeaway is simple: look for verified credentials, relevant specialty experience,
and a care philosophy that matches your needsbecause your life deserves more than “just tough it out.”