What is your specialty?
I chose Family & Community Medicine because I loved that this specialty allows for care that crosses all the disciplines and allows me to take care of everyone. I provide care for kids and adults, and I can get into specialties like orthopedics, neurology, OB/GYN.
Where did you complete your undergrad, medical, internship, residency, and fellowship?
Undergrad: Far Eastern University (Philippines)
Medical School: Far Eastern University (Philippines)
Internship: East Avenue Medical Center (Philippines)
Residency: Penn State University
I am currently attending a mini-Fellowship Program for Pain Management in Primary Care, through UC Davis and UC San Diego combined programs.
What made you want to become a Physician?
My inspiration came from two of the smartest and most loving women in our family, my Grandma and my Mother. First, my Grandma, who is a traditional midwife (called Hilot) in the Philippines, exposed me as her sidekick at age 10 to deliveries of babies and attendance to common illnesses back home where she uses herbs, tree bark, and oils to help the sick. Second, my Mother wished I could fulfill her ambition in the art of medicine, as she never had the opportunity to advance her education past 6th grade, hence she passed this on to me and I am very glad to have made it a reality for her.
What do you wish you could tell every patient about their health and why?
I want to tell patients that their health is their wealth; protect it, nurture it, maintain it and keep it at its best state as possible. In every aspect of life, opportunities, and challenges, they are at an advantage when they are healthy.
What do you like most about working at GVHC?
The reason I joined GVHC is because of the mission. Every day I feel like our organization lives up to the mission. We do everything possible to stay true to that statement to provide high-quality care to any members of our community regardless of cultural, financial, or language barrier. There is that feeling of cohesiveness and collaboration and the emphasis on teamwork. We work as a single unit with every member of the team doing their part in delivering the best care for our patients and their families.
In 2022 we will be celebrating GVHC’s 50th anniversary. What are your thoughts?
I think it’s a blast. It’s a monumental achievement. An organization that started as a very small clinic that is now 45 clinic-site strong and celebrating 50 years. That is awesome and I am very excited about it.
What are the most underutilized services in your specialty?
In particular as a health center, we are known for immunizations and I think vaccinations, now more than ever, are critically important. This is a service I want everyone to take advantage of. Health should be your utmost priority in life. You will always have an advantage in every aspect of life if you are healthy. So I say maintain and nurture your health to keep it at its best state as possible. Another is our MAT Program for the treatment of opioid use disorder and stimulant use disorder.
Fun Facts About You!
I love the outdoors, I am an avid road cyclist, mountain biker, and snowboarder. I did drag and street car racing in college If I did not go to medical school I would have been a race car driver because of my passion for speed, adrenaline rushes, and calculated risks.
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