I was born in Utah, spent my formative years in Long Beach, California, and lived near Dallas, Texas for the majority of my adult life. I served a church mission for two years in Germany and learned to speak the language. Recently I came to Hawaii with my wife and four children because we have family here and because I wanted to return to a coastal climate.
Between college and medical school I spent a year assisting a post-doctorate student in his research on multiple sclerosis. Later I was listed as a co-author of the paper that was published on the study. A career in medicine seemed like the ideal way to combine my two main interests — science and a desire to help other people.In medical school I was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. I was interested in all aspects of medicine and had a hard time deciding on a specialty. After the birth of my first child, my wife was impressed with our family doctor, especially how well he was able to address both parent needs and child needs. This attracted me to family medicine, a specialty that allows connections with patients to develop over time, often including several generations of family members.My primary professional membership is in the American Academy of Family Practice. To stay up-to-date on medical topics, I attend conferences and read the latest publications of medical journals.Joining the Hawaii Permanente Medical Group (HPMG) has allowed me to surround myself with a multi-specialty team of excellent physicians. This challenges me to become a better physician myself and to provide even better patient care. Also, the HPMG model strongly supports my belief that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
I try to practice what I preach, including healthy eating and a focus on personal fitness. Daily reading and exercise are priorities in my schedule. My family and I are also heavily involved in our church, where I spend the majority of my free time volunteering. We enjoy the beach, and although I am a terrible surfer, I look forward to the challenge of changing that.
PCMH
