Dr. Merkler is a native New Yorker who received his undergraduate degree from Brown University where he graduated magna cum laude. Dr. Merkler earned his medical degree from New York University where he received the prestigious Rosenbluth Grant for international laboratory research. Dr. Merkler completed residency in neurology at the Weill Cornell Medical College and served as the Chief Resident in his final year. Dr. Merkler then completed a two-year fellowship in neurocritical care at Columbia University / Weill Cornell Medical College.

Dr. Merkler is board certified in Neurology and Neurocritical Care. Dr. Merkler is an expert in stroke and acute brain and spine injury. Dr. Merkler has authored more than 100 publications in peer reviewed medical journals on neurological disorders. Dr. Merkler also serves as a peer reviewer for several medical journals including JAMA, Neurology, Stroke, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Circulation, and Hypertension. Dr. Merkler is currently funded by a Career Development Award from the American Heart Association and a Weill Cornell Medicine Grant to study the neurological complications of Covid-19. He is a past recipient of a KL2 award from the NIH and the Leon Levy Fellowship.