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PHILOSOPHY OF CARE STATEMENT

Taking care of my aging parents with my medical background affords me a viewpoint from the patients’ perspective. I have attended many appointments and even hospital visits where I could identify where things could have gone better. I realize the importance of clear communication and explaining medical problems in simple terms. I recognize the need to simply listen to what the patient has to say. I also know how a friendly attitude on the part of the heathcare provider can make a huge difference. In other words, I attempt to treat all my patients as I would members of my own family. That is the best way to practice medicine.

About Me

Welcome to my website! Glad you are here! Let me tell you a little bit about myself….

I was born in the city of Burlingame, California. I grew up with the same troubles that many kids do—a pestering older brother. Luckily for me, I managed to win the majority of fights that we got into although he seems to recollect things differently. Actually, I only really remember losing once. But when you get crammed into the one foot of space between your brother’s bed and the wall (where, by the way, there doesn’t seem to be much oxygen), one really has no choice but to admit defeat.

I continued to live in the Bay Area until heading off to college. My parents wanted me to attend UC Berkeley as it was close to home. To me, that potentially meant four years of surprise visits. I was suspicious. At any rate, I was up for a challenge and, instead, decided to head just a little further away—New England. I spent an amazing four years at Dartmouth College in the small town of Hanover, New Hampshire. During that time I developed many great friendships and solidified my love of the outdoors. As it was the first time I had spent a considerable amount of time away from home, I also developed a true appreciation for Mom’s home-cooked meals! For medical school, I found myself in the Midwest at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. There I developed skills in determining the optimal St. Louis studying spots such as libraries and cafes as much of my four years was spent with my nose in medical textbooks.

Choosing internal medicine as the field that I wanted to pursue was an easy decision. Undoubtedly, general adult medicine is a very broad subject and changing all the time. Having the knowledge of and the varied experiences, thus far, in adult medicine allow me to provide my patients with the most comprehensive care possible. And the best care is what every patient deserves. In particular, I decided to become a Hospitalist because assisting very ill people to the point at which they can return home is a very fulfilling and rewarding experience for me.

Having chosen internal medicine, I wanted to return to the San Francisco Bay Area where I grew up and where my family remained. I chose to do my residency at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara and graduated three years later. Having heard many great things about Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center, I joined this hospitalist group in August of 2004.

I have a particular interest in HIV management because it has had such a devastating impact at a global level. In 2001, I participated in the California AIDS Ride 8 which was a 575 mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The goal was to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS and to fundraise to support organizations such as the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Unfortunately, I could not convince my friends or my boyfriend at the time to join me on this incredible event. Their responses all went something like this: “What? 575 miles? See you when you get back!” Nevertheless, I met many incredible people and heard their incredible stories about why they were doing this ride. I plan on participating in the event again and, this time, I hopefully will convince many others to join me! In addition, during my Grand Rounds lecture at the end of residency, I updated the general internal medicine department at Kaiser Santa Clara about HIV management.

When not working at the hospital, you are likely to see me out mountain biking or, at least, hauling my bike to or from the trails in my tiny car. This activity has truly become my favorite thing to do despite the occasional scratches, bruises, and dislocated digits. But, hey, no broken bones yet! I am blessed to have a great group of friends who like riding as much as I do and equally enjoy the challenges of very technical trails. They have likewise introduced me to Adventure Racing and have been very supportive of me in my participation in triathlons. Lucky for me, they also enjoy wakeboarding and snowboarding as well. It’s always good to have snowboarding friends to blame when I manage to crash in front of many people while attempting to get off the ski-lift with them.

Another interest of mine is the Spanish language. I had a wonderful Spanish teacher at San Mateo High School who instilled in me a love of the language. I studied it continuously from the 7th grade until my freshman year at college. I even spent four weeks in Oaxaca, Mexico taking language classes and living with a family. As a result, I speak more Spanish than Chinese and I enjoy the food much better than Chinese food too. This led to my Dad telling me one day he thinks he picked up the wrong baby at the hospital. Anyway, I have not been able to keep up with the language as much as I would like. But one of my goals is to become as fluent as I once used to be.

Aside from that, family still remains extremely important to me. My brother and I no longer get into fist fights…probably because he knows I’ll win. Just kidding. And I have attempted to repay my Mom for all those wonderful meals she has cooked for me. But, I’m not sure how successful I have been. I really should not attempt to cook anything in the kitchen unless there is a fire extinguisher close by. Well, it’s the thought that counts, right?

So there you have it. A little bit of background about me. Although I would prefer it if everyone stayed healthy and out of the hospital, I look forward to providing you with the best care if you do end up in the hospital. And any cooking tips you have for me will be greatly appreciated.

My Credentials

Medical school	St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
Residency	Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Santa Clara, CA
Board certification	Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine

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