Docs Talk Story

In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Teresa Schiff-Elfalan. Born and raised in Aiea, Dr. Schiff-Elfalan is a Maryknoll School graduate. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Southern California and medical education here at the John A Burns School of Medicine. Dr. Schiff then went on to complete her family medicine residency at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center in Martínez, CA. She has previously worked at Kokua Kalihi Valley and is currently the Medical Director for the HOME Project and the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Social Justice, and Underserved Care at JABSOM. She’s also heavily involved in teaching, as a preceptor for the University of Hawaii Family Medicine Residency Program and as a course director for one of our pre-clerkship units.

Join us as we explore why she chose family medicine and developed her passion for social justice! Also, come and learn more about what JABSOM's HOME Project does for the houseless here in Hawaii.

In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Tom Feng! He completed his undergrad at Princeton University and medical education at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Feng then went on to complete his urology residency at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and his fellowship in robotic surgery and advanced laparoscopy at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, WA . He currently works at Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, where he has been for almost 5 years.

Join us as we explore how Dr. Feng ended up in urology (and why you should do urology!) and what practicing in different healthcare settings entails!

In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Paul Ho! He was born in Hong Kong but raised in Philadelphia, PA. He completed his undergrad and Masters of Science at the University of Pennsylvania and medical education at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. Dr. Ho completed his internal medicine residency at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and his cardiology and interventional cardiology fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He worked for the Hawaii Permanente Medical Group for 14 years and retired in 2014. Now, he is currently the President and CEO of HOCOR Cardiovascular Technologies. Join us as we explore how Dr. Ho's passion for engineering spurred him toward interventional cardiology and eventually his own startup company!

In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Jennifer Mbuthia, an allergist and immunologist with the Queen Emma Clinics at the Queen’s Medical Center. She is originally from Long Island, NY, and completed her undergraduate and medical education at Brown University. Dr. Mbuthia then went on to complete her pediatrics residency at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu and her allergy & immunology fellowship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in DC. She is board-certified in clinical informatics and has 20 years of medical experience in the Army. Join us as we explore the field of immunology, her experience being deployed as a military physician, and her tips for balancing life as a mother and as a practicing physician.

We're back - and with new hosts Morgan, Richard, and Ryan! In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Winona Lee, the Director of the ‘Imi Ho‘ola Post-Baccalaureate Program, Principal Investigator of the Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence, and JABSOM Association of American Medical Colleges Diversity Officer! Dr. Lee attended medical school at JABSOM and completed her pediatrics residency at the University of Hawaii Pediatrics Residency! She went on to provide locum tenens for private physicians throughout the island chain. Join us as we explore Dr. Lee's upbringing, her love for pediatrics, and how she ended up in medical education!

In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Jeremy King, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Kapiolani Medical Center and Assistant Professor in Pediatrics at JABSOM! Dr. King attended medical school at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, completed pediatrics residency at Cooper University Hospital in New Jersey, and then went onto pursue a gastroenterology fellowship! Join us as we talk about the holistic approach to helping heal functional disease, the close connections of docs in Hawaii, and not being afraid to think outside the box!

In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Donna Ching, a triple-boarded pediatrics, adult psychiatry, and child psychiatry doc in Hilo, who also continues to do locum tenens all across the mainland! Dr. Ching attended UH Manoa for her undergraduate, MPH, and MD degrees (in the first class of PBL at JABSOM), and then went on to a Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Child Psychiatry Combination Program for residency in Kentucky. Join us as we talk about the value of non-traditional routes to medicine, the triple board program, and locum tenens, as well as other options for a graduating MD to consider outside of clinical work!

In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Emilie Stickley, an Ob/Gyn in Hilo, Hawaii. Dr. Stickley not only has a full-time practice, she also homeschools her four children and runs her family farm. Join us as we talk story about her experiences with training in the military as well as the way she balances her work and personal life. 

In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Kyle Chun, an orthopedic surgeon at Orthopedic Associates of Hawaii and an assistant professor at JABSOM. Dr. Chun attended medical school here at the University of Hawaii, continued on to residency at the University of Washington, and completed a sports medicine fellowship at the Southern California Orthopedic Institute. Join us as we talk about how being in private practice allows him the autonomy to do what he wants, including working on medical designs, going hunting, and spending time with his loved ones! 

In this episode we talk story with Dr. Christie Izutsu, a nephrologist and JABSOM’s Internal Medicine Clerkship director. Dr. Izutsu was born and raised here in Hawaii, graduated from JABSOM, and went on to complete her IM residency and nephrology fellowship at UC San Diego. She now practices nephrology in various hospitals, clinics, and hemodialysis centers in Hawaii and American Samoa (pre-COVID)! She’s also currently working on completing a clinical transplant fellowship here as well. Join us as we talk about the diversity of internal medicine, the longitudinal relationships embedded into nephrology, and the importance of “taking care of your goose” (shoutout to Dr. Kasuya)! To the medical students, nephrology is much more than the acid/base disorders and nephron drawings we learn in MD3!