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Department Hours
| Closed | 8:30 am
5:00 pm | 8:30 am
5:00 pm | 8:30 am
5:00 pm | 8:30 am
5:00 pm | 8:30 am
5:00 pm | Closed |
My Profession and Why I Chose It
My name is John Mitchell. I was born and raised in Oshkosh, Wisconsin -- that says a lot about me. I was endowed with mid-western values that persist today in my person and practices.
I went to college and medical school at the University of Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin is located in Madison, the Paris of the Midwest. My small town background began to expand into a metropolitan awareness. I joined the Navy as a way to finance my education and further expand my horizons.
I chose an internship with the Family Practice Department at Naval Hospital, Charleston, South Carolina. With my path to a career in Orthopaedic Surgery already solidified, I hoped to gain a broader base in medicine than that afforded by the usual surgical postgraduate year. I was able to gain valuable insight and perspective and furthered my appreciation for the true general practitioners. This species, although endangered, is alive and well in the Kaiser system.
I am a doctor because I believe in noble pursuits and altruism. I am a surgeon because I am a mechanical thinker and am blessed with “good hands.” I am an orthopaedic surgeon because I am a mobile, active person and find joy in helping others be the same. Although my craft is steeped in a scientific background, I consider the practice an art. Continually improving my capabilities as an artist is what drives me.
My Credentials
| University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, WI |
| Charleston Naval Hospital, Charleston, SC |
| Naval Hospital, Oakland, CA |
| Orthopedic Surgery, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery |
My Practice Philosophy
Prudence and careful planning are the uniting tenets of my practice philosophy. One of the benefits of working in managed care is the lack of financial pressure. When my patients ask me whether surgery can improve their function, they are assured that my advice is based on their needs alone. When one comes to my office, my fee has already been paid. This allows an ethically pure relationship between the doctor and the patient. My commitment is to conceive the best treatment plan, surgical or not. My intent is to create a scaffold for healing that will allow my patients to maximize their functional capacity. The Permanente Medical Group supports me in that pursuit.
My Tenure with Kaiser Permanente
Since coming to Kaiser Permanente in Sacramento in 1991, I have enjoyed steady professional growth.
Over the last ten years I have been able to focus on shoulder and elbow surgery. I moved in that direction because I found it particularly challenging. The anatomic intricacies in the upper extremity provide questions for a lifetime of study.
It has been my pleasure to serve two terms as Assistant Chief of this Department. I continue to be active in its administration. I am active in the education of younger practitioners, serving as faculty for surgical care conferences each year and mentoring doctors, nurses and physician assistants in my clinic.
Why I Like Practicing Medicine at Kaiser Permanente
I always intended to move back to the Midwest, however, I grew to like California. Looking back, it seems inevitable that I would join up with Kaiser Permanente. I have been a member of several strong teams. My background fostered both independent thought and collaboration. I am now an ardent believer in the power of a group of talented people pulling together in a common goal.
Our department is filled with talent – another strong team. I am a generalist by training but experience and the support of my colleagues has allowed me to enhance my art deeply into what is commonly known as “Sports Medicine.” Personally, I find that title trivializing. I would not find the dedication of one’s medical practice to sports satisfying. However, I do find the effort to maximize function in high demand people in all walks of life a noble pursuit. Marines, sailors, contractors and farmers are all high performance athletes who benefit from the study of “Sports Medicine.”
My Personal History
I spent a unique year as General Medical Officer on the USS Canopus, a submarine tender ship based in South Carolina. My charge was a thirty-person medical department entrusted with the health of 2500 sailors and marines. It was a rich experience for a young doctor. I loved my time with the Marines. The stark realities of war aside for a moment, it was like being the team doctor for America’s biggest football team.
I moved to California in 1984 when I began my orthopaedic residency training at Naval Hospital, Oakland. It soon became clear to me that I am one of the lucky people who found a career path that I love and am especially suited to.
After residency, I served as orthopaedic surgeon to the First Marine Division at Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton. In my three-year tenure, I was promoted to Chief of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. I am a veteran of Desert Storm.
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