About Me

I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, but I have always been an Oregonian at heart. My father is from Portland, and living here fulfills a lifelong dream. My mother is a nurse who imbued in me, from a young age, a love of science and a desire to help others, so medicine was a natural choice. My undergraduate degree was in biology from Carleton College in Minnesota, and I went to medical school at the University of Chicago. I completed my residency in orthopedic surgery at University of Rochester in New York. I did a research fellowship at the Mayo Clinic while in medical school, as well as a clinical fellowship in hip and knee replacement surgery at the University of California, San Francisco.

About my practice

What attracted me to orthopedic surgery and to the field of arthroplasty (joint replacements) was their pronounced effect on quality of life. My main goal is to get members back to their hobbies and be as independent as possible. This can be accomplished through hip or knee replacements or through nonsurgical means — the precise treatment depends on the patient, and shared decision-making is paramount in determining a plan of care. Another interest of mine is geriatric hip fractures; I have published several book chapters on the topic. The elderly population is often overlooked in our society, but I find them to be the most rewarding patients to take care of. Being able to focus on this age group is a bonus in my choice of arthroplasty. Finally, I strive to treat all my patients as if they were my own family. This is what I enjoy most about being a physician with Kaiser Permanente: I can put the needs of the patient first and worry less about the business aspect of medicine.

How I thrive

My profession is one of my central passions, but I also enjoy trail-running, hiking, and bicycling. College football (Oregon and Ohio State) and international soccer are my favorite sports to follow. Cooking and travel are other interests, as is spending time with family and friends. My mother is from Ecuador, and I was fortunate enough to spend half of my elementary school years there when my father worked for the United States embassy. This allowed me to pick up native fluency in Spanish, which I have used in my volunteer work in clinics for the uninsured in the United States, as well as on medical missions to Ecuador, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic.