Hello, and welcome to my Web page! Growing up, my family had one doctor who saw all of us for almost all of our medical problems. I always wanted to be that kind of physician, and at Kaiser Permanente I have been able to fulfill that dream. I hope that through this page you will understand a little bit about who I am and why I enjoy my practice here so much. Kaiser Permanente has allowed me to have a rewarding career that includes direct patient care and teaching young physicians. Most importantly to me, I have time to spend with my family, and I think you will agree that anyone who is happy outside of work is more likely to come to work each day with a good outlook!
I grew up in Long Beach, California, where I met and married my high school sweetheart. While still a medical student at UC Irvine, I did an elective rotation at Kaiser Permanente in Fontana. I was so impressed with the high-quality and caring medicine they were providing that I decided to do my family medicine residency there. I remember telling my wife that after residency I would be ready to practice "someplace good." After my years of training in Fontana, it became clear that the only place I would ever want to work was Kaiser Permanente! It has been exciting and rewarding to grow up with my practice. I have watched children I cared for since infancy start their own families. It's been a privilege to be a part of so many families. Along with being a family physician, I also have the opportunity to teach medical students and family medicine residents. Teaching some of the best and brightest is a challenge that I believe rewards me more than it does those I help train.
As my career with Kaiser Permanente has progressed, my role has changed to one of support for the other physicians in my department and I no longer see patients on a regular basis. Since 2013 I've been retired from full-time work, and am now considered a "partner emeritus." I only come in two days a week, and spend most of my time supervising our resident physicians and helping out with messages and refills when my colleagues are away.
I stay healthy by eating only organic vegetables that I grow myself and by running 15 to 20 miles every day. I expect all of my patients to do this, too. (I'm just kidding!) Actually, I am a "flexatarian";-since my wife is a vegetarian, I eat little or no meat at home, but I do eat meat when we go out. I consider chocolate to be a vegetable, in moderation, of course. As far as my exercise pattern, doing regular stretching exercises is a must to keep my back in working order. For many of us, getting daily aerobic exercise can be a challenge. I find walking with my wife and dog are the easiest way to keep moving. (the dog doesn't really give me a choice.)
