About Me

Welcome to my Web page. I'm happy to offer you the opportunity to learn a bit more about me and my practice. As a Kaiser Permanente physician, I'm grateful I have the freedom to focus on practicing medicine without having to worry about the business side. And through our long-standing affiliation with the UC San Diego Medical Center, I codirect 1 of 17 accredited neurotology fellowship programs in the United States. I am a clinical professor at UC San Diego in my role as fellowship codirector.

Biography

I was raised in Southern California, and I am happy to remain here. As a physician, I am fulfilling a call to be of service to my fellow man. My family and I are active in our church and in community arts organizations, and in music. My other hobbies include American history, wine collecting, singing, and travel. I currently serve on the American Otological Society Council and am president of this organization (through April of 2018). I am also on the Otology and Neurotology Education Committee for the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, as well as the Scientific Program Committee of the American Neurotology Society. I am also a member of the editorial board for Otology and Neurotology, the premier journal for otology/neurotology.

About my practice

Within the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, my role is that of a specialist in ear-related disease. This involves care for holes in the eardrum, severe dizziness problems, facial nerve problems, mastoid infection issues, and all manner of hearing loss. The Southern California Permanente Medical Group has designated San Diego as the Center for Excellence in skull base surgery for the past 25 years. We have operated on over 2,000 skull base tumors, including more than 800 acoustic neuromas, in that time. Annually, we perform roughly 100 skull base surgeries. We offer phone and in-office consultations and have cared for Kaiser Permanente members from Northern California, the Pacific Northwest, Colorado, and even Hawaii.

How I thrive

If you do what you love, you never have to work a day in your life. Most days, this quote applies to me, but for those days when things get challenging, taking a moment to meditate puts things back in perspective. Regular exercise is one way I keep my body and mind healthy, to strengthen the body and calm the mind. Spending time with my family is important for personal rejuvenation as well. We are a family that likes to laugh together.