A Journey Rooted in Service and Advocacy

My path to medicine began with a simple but powerful mission: to serve those who need healthcare the most. At the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, through the Charles Drew University Medical Education Program, I was part of something bigger—training the next generation of leaders committed to caring for underserved communities.

This foundation shaped everything that followed. During my Family Medicine residency and Community Medicine fellowship at Kaiser Los Angeles, I discovered my passion for direct patient care while serving diverse populations. For years, I practiced at a Federally Qualified Health Center in Historic Filipino Town, primarily caring for Spanish-speaking families and others in underserved communities. These experiences taught me that exceptional healthcare isn't just about medical knowledge—it's about understanding the whole person and the context of their life.

The Reality Check That Changed Everything

When I moved back to New Jersey during COVID to be closer to family, I joined an academic medical center's outpatient Family Medicine team. While I loved connecting with my patients, the traditional healthcare system began wearing me down. The rigid schedules, the pressure to rush through appointments, the endless after-hours documentation—it wasn't sustainable, and more importantly, it wasn't the medicine I dreamed of practicing.

I found myself bringing work home every night because I refused to limit my patients to "one concern per visit." I believed then, as I do now, that healing requires time, understanding, and genuine relationship. But the fee-for-service model made this nearly impossible.

Finding My Way Back to Real Medicine

Attending my first DPC conference was like coming home. Here were physicians practicing medicine the way I always envisioned it should be—unhurried, relationship-centered, and focused on what's best for the patient, not what insurance dictates.

Direct Primary Care isn't revolutionary because it's new—it's revolutionary because it's a return to good old-fashioned, relationship-based medicine, enhanced by evidence-based practice and modern technology. It's healthcare as it should be: accessible, personal, and empowering.

What "Empowered Health" Means to Me

When I talk about empowered health, I mean whole-person care that considers not just your symptoms, but the context of your life. It means having a doctor who knows you, who has time for your questions, and who works with you as a partner in your health journey.

I want to be clear: Direct Primary Care isn't just for the wealthy. While I recognize that some may not be able to afford membership fees, my goal is to build a sustainable practice that can eventually serve everyone in our community, including those who need care regardless of their ability to pay.

Beyond the White Coat

When I'm not in the clinic, you'll find me exploring New Jersey's amazing restaurant scene (I have a particular weakness for Korean BBQ—hence my mini poodle's name, Galbi), catching live concerts, or playing pickleball with my dad. Being back home means I get to enjoy those everyday moments with family that make life meaningful.

My experience serving diverse populations has given me the privilege of connecting with patients from all backgrounds. Now, practicing in the community where I grew up feels like coming full circle.

The Bigger Vision

I'm not just building a practice—I'm hoping to spark a movement. I want to show my colleagues, especially those feeling burned out in traditional medicine, that there's another way. Together, we can improve access to quality primary care throughout New Jersey.

This is healthcare as it should be. It exists, it works, and it's worth investing in—for your health, for your family, and for the future of medicine itself.

Ready to experience empowered health? Let's start this journey together.