I grew up in Central and Southern California. While doing graduate work in Hawaii, I found that I loved the island lifestyle. Happily, I met and married my wife here, and Oahu became my permanent home. My mother inspired me to become a physician assistant, and my wife has taught me much about living in Hawaii.
After graduating from the physician assistant program at Samuel Merritt University, I practiced family and occupational medicine, but I always wanted to go into a more specialized practice. After rotating through several specialties during my internship, I was intrigued by the mix of procedures, surgery, and clinical medicine that comprise the practice of urology. I have a master’s degree in physician assistant studies and am a member of the Hawaii Academy of Physician Assistants. Community service is important to me, and I volunteer with several local organizations, including the Hawaiian Humane Society. At a recent conference held by the Hawaii Academy of Physician Assistants, I gave presentations on blood in the urine and scrotal pain and masses. I’m presently involved with an ongoing research project at Tripler addressing arterial injury during surgery. To stay current in my field, I attend American Urology Association conferences and review videos and presentations from the organization. I also participate in online conferences, read professional journals, and confer with colleagues. Other resources that I use include the online resource UpToDate, Medscape Urology, the Campbell-Walsh Urology Review, and the Journal of Urology. In addition to English, I speak a little French and Mandarin Chinese. Several colleagues encouraged me to consider working at Kaiser Permanente, known to be a model of efficiency. I was happy for the opportunity to practice here and to be able to expand the scope of my practice. It’s important to me to understand each patient’s backstory and their concerns in order to be as supportive as possible as they work to regain their health. I look forward to making a difference in their lives, whether by assisting in the removal of a life-threatening cancer, or simply improving their quality of life in small but meaningful ways.
I stay happy and healthy by meditating, eating a vegetarian diet, caring for my family, and exercising regularly, by surfing and kite surfing.
