I have been a physician for 28 years, with the last 19 at Kaiser Permanente. I welcome you to my Web page and hope that learning more about me and about Kaiser Permanente will enable you to enjoy and benefit from the health care we deliver.

Biography

I was born in a small town in the central mountains of Puerto Rico. My father brought us to the United States to find a better future for us. I attended grammar and high school in the Chicago public school system. I was fortunate to get into a good preparatory school. During the Vietnam War, I served in the U.S. Army, which gave me the income to go back to college. I went to the University of Chicago, where I earned a degree in mathematics. I was again very fortunate to attend the Harvard Medical School and earn my medical degree and a degree in public health. I did my residency in family medicine at UC Irvine, which served as a county hospital and community clinic. I worked at a community clinic for a few years and then tried private practice. I finally came to Kaiser Permanente, where I decided to stay.

About my practice

I work at the Otay Mesa Medical Offices on Palm Avenue in San Diego. I have the privilege to work with a wonderful group of people with many different backgrounds. The physicians are all warm and easy to work with. We spend much time trying to see if the care environment can be made even better. The nursing staff, the service representatives, and all of the ancillary staff are all very capable and interested in the delivery of the best care. My patients come from many places and have had many different life experiences. Working with them is both enjoyable and challenging. I speak Spanish, as do a large number of my patients.

How I thrive

I enjoy being with my family; they are my highest priority outside of work. I have seven children, three of whom are adopted. I also have three grandchildren. I love being with my wife, my children, and my grandchildren; I don't think that anything has been more important to me than them. I feel that I need to stay healthy, eat well, exercise, and also find time to relax, to be able to be with them longer and to enjoy them more. My work is a good way to help others as well as myself.