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About Me

I grew up in a small town in eastern Ohio. After receiving my BS in Pharmacy from the Ohio State University in 1988, I practiced as a registered pharmacist in Florida and eventually San Francisco. While living here, I developed a deep love of northern California.

I left the Bay Area to go to medical school at the Ohio State University and did my residency at the University of Chicago Hospitals. I chose an interdisciplinary program of study in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, which required an additional year of residency. When my residency was complete, I began a targeted job search for a position in the Bay Area.

After months of interviews, I found Kaiser Santa Rosa. Kaiser Permanente stood out above all other opportunities I had investigated, due to great staff chemistry and a team attitude toward delivering exceptional health care. I joined the medical staff in August of 1999, initially working in the family medicine and pediatric clinics. In 2004, I chose to become a hospitalist, (see the link above for more information on hospitalists). Though I primarily see patients who are ill enough to be in the hospital, I still enjoy taking care of children. So, you might see me sometimes in the pediatric urgent care clinic.

I am committed to comprehensive quality patient care. I feel Kaiser Permanente suits my practice style perfectly. I enjoy having the subspecialists located on the premises. As a primary care physician, I get the benefit of having convenient consults and taking advantage of a large pool of talented colleagues in order to deliver the best healthcare possible.

Keeping abreast of the rapidly changing world of medicine requires continuous study. I do nearly 100 hours of continuing education each year. As a pediatrician, I am required by the American Board of Pediatrics to recertify every 7 years. The American Board of Internal Medicine requires recertification every 10 years. I also continue to maintain my pharmacy license. I believe all of this is very important so that I can take the best care of my patients as possible.

I chose to train both as an Internist (doctor for adults) and a Pediatrician. In medical school, I found that I enjoyed taking care of people of all ages and a "med/peds" residency program gave me excellent training to do both.

Practicing in the hospital is very exciting as each day presents new and unique challenges. I really enjoy working with adult patients when they are seriously ill. It is very rewarding when I can help patients regain their health and go home to their families.

On the other hand, I find working in the pediatric urgent clinic just as rewarding. Having a child that is acutely ill can be a stressful experience for all of those involved in his or her care. As a parent myself, I certainly know what it is like to worry. I love being able to offer treatment and reassurance to parents and their children and hopefully reduce some of the stress of having a sick child.

I believe my current position makes maximum use of my skills and training as an internal medicine and pediatric specialist. By working with children and adults in 2 different settings, Kaiser Permanente allows me to have the greatest impact on the well being of our community.

My Credentials

Medical school	Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH
Residency	University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, IL
Board certification	Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine
Board certification	Pediatrics, American Board of Pediatrics

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