About Me

Welcome to my Web page. I am happy to have this chance to introduce myself and to tell you about my practice of Mohs surgery in the Dermatology Departments of Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California region.

 

Biography

 

I grew up in the small town of Hillsdale, Michigan, from a family tree of farmers and teachers. There, I was nurtured with strong tonics of common sense, honesty, and hard work. In school, I loved science, especially when science could be applied to help people, and this led me to dream of becoming a doctor. During medical school, I was inspired to become a dermatologist, and I soon took a special interest in skin cancer treatment. Over the next 20 years, I trained in and practiced dermatology and Mohs surgery in large and small groups in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions. In that formative time, I also heard my other important calling: husband and father. While I am dedicated to my work, I’m equally devoted to my wife and our 6 children. In 2006, we chose Southern California as an ideal place for our family to grow and for me to practice skin cancer surgery. We settled here, and I was invited to join Kaiser Permanente.

 

About my practice

 

For many Kaiser Permanente members with skin cancer, we offer Mohs surgery, a procedure that is both highly curative and normal tissue sparing. While I’m glad for the opportunity to provide this technique for our members in multiple Kaiser Permanente service areas, I can’t do it alone. Every Mohs clinic includes a team of lab technicians, nurses, medical assistants, and administrators working together to perform this treatment for individual members.

 

How I thrive

 

I thrive with routines, but it’s best if I do them mindfully. I start every day with classical or meditative music, and a light breakfast of fruit, grains, nuts, and coffee. Music also gives rhythm to commuting and to any of my daily moving exercises: jogging, walking, swimming, weightlifting, or yoga. At mid-day, I have a larger meal of plant-based foods and, again, coffee. I read, listen to, and watch media on many topics, but I favor anthropology, psychology, politics, the daily news, and of course, medicine. I love my work, and there too I thrive. I do all these things not just to make me feel good, but to make me a better doctor, coworker, father, and husband. I try to follow the teaching of the great masters: the best action is to serve whoever you are with, and the best time to serve is now.