Specialty Pathology Facility South Sacramento Medical Center Laboratory Services Address 6600 Bruceville Road Medical Office Building 1, 1st Floor Room 115 Sacramento CA 95823 Map & Directions Telephone Information: 916-688-2300 Fax: 916-688-6435 E-mail your doctor View your preventive services

Department Hours

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
7:00 am 3:00 pm	7:00 am 7:00 pm	7:00 am 7:00 pm	7:00 am 7:00 pm	7:00 am 7:00 pm	7:00 am 7:00 pm	7:00 am 3:00 pm

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My association with Kaiser Permanente has truly been lifelong, as I was born at Kaiser Hospital in Oakland and have been a Kaiser member ever since! I believe strongly in the philosophy of the Kaiser’s health maintenance organization with its emphasis on keeping people healthy. It is a source of enormous pride to have become a health care provider in this system. I joined the Department of Pathology at South Sacramento Kaiser in 1996, just after completing my residency training at U.C. Davis.

As a pathologist, I work largely behind the scenes. My examination room is my office where I make diagnoses by examining biopsies and surgical specimens using a microscope. Some biopsy specimens are very small (no more than the width of a piece of thread), while others are quite large (for example: a portion of lung, stomach, or part of the intestines). While biopsy and surgical specimens comprise the greatest part of my work, there are also opportunities to perform autopsies; the main purpose of an autopsy is to determine a cause of death and to answer questions for physicians and family of the deceased. Cytology is another part of my work, the most familiar cytologic specimen being the “Pap smear,” which helps in early detection of cervix abnormalities. Pathologists are also involved in activities of the Clinical Laboratory; interpretation of test results is part of the rigorous 4 to 5 years of training that pathologists receive.

Pathology is a very visual specialty. Each type of body tissue or tumor, when viewed through a microscope, forms a particular pattern of cells. Making a diagnosis in pathology requires recognition of that special pattern. Although that may sound simple, in real life it is actually quite complex and often very challenging!

Of course, I do not work alone. I am one of five pathologists at South Sacramento Kaiser, and there are many devoted, highly trained technologists and assistants who are part of the department, as well. The Chief of our department and the Laboratory Director is Dr. Ruby Yu. I was appointed to the position of Assistant Chief of Pathology in 2003.

In addition to my work at Kaiser, I still have strong ties to the School of Medicine at U.C. Davis. I teach pathology of blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes to medical students each year, and I am a faculty advisor to two students.

Before going to medical school, I was a biomedical librarian on the U.C. Berkeley campus from 1974 to 1980, and I completed a Ph.D. in Pharmacology-Toxicology at U.C. Davis in 1985. I have published papers on topics in librarianship, pharmacology, and pathology.

When I am not working, I am a wife and mother to my son. My favorite hobbies are graphic arts and reading. I also enjoy working out at the gym and participating in as many 5K fun runs as possible.

My Credentials

Medical school	UC Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA
Internship	George Washington University, Washington, DC
Residency	UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA
Fellowship	UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA
Board certification	Pathology - Anatomic and Clinical, American Board of Pathology

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