I am an Osteopathic Family Medicine Physician. I realized I wanted to become a Physician towards the end of High School, so I was grateful to have been accepted to an accelerated medical program between Pitzer College and Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, in Pomona, California.
Although I originally planned to become a Neurologist, after completing my third-year clinical rotations, it became clear that Family Medicine was actually the perfect fit for me – I can be a Jackie of all trades and enjoy having long-term relationships with families!
I completed my residency at UCLA and continued a career at UCLA in academic medicine for about four years. I thought my whole life would be in academics (I love teaching), but life took another path and I started a career in a new UC San Diego Health Primary Care department, CommUnity Care, a non-academic department, focused on patient care, in Rancho Bernardo.
During this time, I was also a volunteer preceptor for one of the UCSD Health Free Clinics, until the Pandemic. I then soon became the Department COVID-19 Lead Physician, followed by the Clinic Medical Director and the Department Wellness Director. I had the opportunity to achieve my Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt and graduated from the Health Leadership Academy at UCSD Health.
This brought me great purpose – the ability to be at the forefront of Physician and Staff burnout prevention and make positive changes for our patients on a larger scale within the healthcare system. Regardless of this passion, I, like many others, reached a breaking point and it was time to make a hard decision. I decided to choose my own well-being and once I did that, a great opportunity came along.
I was invited to join a Concierge Medicine practice at UCSD Health, allowing me more time with my patients, resulting in better health outcomes and achieving a true work-life balance. I like to think my Physician Coach opened a door in my mind I didn’t know existed.
I think I would have left medicine without her support, and because of that, I wanted to pay it forward and so became a certified Coach via The Life Coach School. I now work with future and current Physicians, revealing that everything you need is right within you.