Docs Talk Story: Recent Episodes
Morgan Quinley, Richard Chen, Ryan Nakamura
Join Morgan, Richard, and Ryan as they talk story with doctors in Hawaii! "Docs Talk Story" seeks to share the unique stories of our physicians here at home in hopes of inspiring listeners and helping medical students navigate the wide range of specialties the medical field has to offer. Learn more at https://sites.google.com/hawaii.edu/docstalkstory/home
Thank you to our predecessors Rylie, Enze, Royce, Charissa, Jaimee, and Rae. We couldn't have done this without you!
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!
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Gregg Kokame, the Chief of Ophthalmology at JABSOM. Dr. Gregg Kokame is the first person in the Asia Pacific region to successfully complete a bionic eye surgery. He is also heavily involved in research and has over 100 publications and over 70 clinical trials.
In this episode we talk story with Dr. Kareem Khozaim, a Ob/Gyn in Hilo! He attended medical school at University of Cincinnati, Ob/Gyn residency at Indiana University, and spent time in American Samoa and Kenya before serving at Bay Clinic and Hilo Medical Center for the past 4 years. Join us as we talk about global health, rural medicine, and existing stereotypes in Ob/Gyn!
In this episode we talk story with Dr. William Haning, a psychiatrist and addiction medicine physician as well as a Professor of Psychiatry at the John A. Burns School of Medicine. He attended medical school and residency at JABSOM where he completed Psychiatry and later completed an addiction medicine fellowship at Tripler Hospital. Dr. Haning has worked in a variety of places, such as the military, OCCC, and Hawaii State Hospital. He currently works at Queen’s medical center where he has practiced for the past 40 years. Join us as we talk about about the evolution of psychiatry and addiction medicine over the years, exploring a life in psychiatry, and combatting physician burnout.
Today we talk story with Dr. Fay Gao, a neurologist specializing in movement disorders. In this episode, we learn about the pathway to movement disorders specialist, as well as the lifestyle and patient population that a movement disorders specialists sees.
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Janet Berreman, the Kauai District Health Officer for the Hawaii State Department of Health. Dr. Berreman was born in New York and raised in California. She attended medical school, residency, and fellowship at UCSF where she completed Pediatrics with a Primary Care focus and took a Chief Residency year training in Ambulatory Pediatrics. She went on to practice as a pediatrician at the Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center in American Samoa for 4 years before coming to Hawaii where she worked as Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center’s first pediatrician and as a JABSOM clinical faculty for 11 years. Dr. Berreman then moved back to California and earned her Master of Public Health at UC Berkeley. While there, she served as the City of Berkeley Health Officer for 10 years. She has been in her current role and has been calling Kauai home for the last 4.5 years. Join us as we talk about public health, COVID-19, and taking advantage of every opportunity that comes your way!
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Stacy Brown, a Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology doc at Queen’s Medical Center! Dr. Brown attended medical school at Cornell and went on to do her neurology residency and Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology fellowship at Yale. She is also an assistant professor at JABSOM and Program Director of Neuroscience Research at Queen's. Join us as we talk about being open to unexpected opportunities, training in a traditionally male-dominated specialty, and the complementary nature of research and patient care. We hope Dr. Brown’s passion shines through this episode, as she talks about how rewarding her profession is and how it impacts her own outlook on life!
In this episode, Charissa talks story with Dr. Greg Sakamoto, a dermatologist who has his own private practice in Honolulu. Dr. Sakamoto is a Hawaii boy who grew up in Waialua and attended medical school here at JABSOM. He went on to pursue an internship in internal medicine at the University of Hawaii and then completed his residency at the Harvard Medical School Dermatology Residency Program in Boston, Massachusetts. Join us as we talk about the variety of conditions that can affect our body’s largest organ, tips on starting your own practice, and identifying and preventing burnout. We hope you are as inspired as we are by Dr. Sakamoto’s commitment to his patients and by how this commitment guides his approach to providing medical care.
In this special episode, Enze and Rylie co-host an episode with Drs. Oishi and Tam to discuss balancing life outside of medicine. Dr. Oishi is a general surgeon at Kuakini, and Dr. Tam is an internal medicine doctor and faculty at JABSOM. We hope you enjoy this fun episode full of practical advice for medical students, from preclerkship years all the way until match day.
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Robert Ruggieri, an Emergency Medicine physician who worked at Queen's Medical Center before opening Queen's Island Urgent Care in 2006. Tune in to hear about his journey to Emergency Medicine, a typical day of an Emergency Medicine physician & Urgent Care physician, the process of undertaking the business side of medicine, and advice for medical students hoping to go into Emergency Medicine!
To start off Season 2, we talk story with Dr. Daniel Fischberg, a pain and palliative care specialist at Queen’s Medical Center. Dr. Fischberg is a MD/PhD, attending medical school at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and earning his PhD in Biomedical Sciences from City University of New York. He completed his internal medicine residency at Mount Sinai Hospital and went on to pursue a Pain & Palliative Care fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Join us as we address some misconceptions about palliative medicine, discuss its role in compassionate care, and talk about how we can approach every patient with humility.
Welcome to Season 2 of Docs Talk Story! In this episode, we introduce our newest team members Charissa, Jaimee, and Rae. Don't miss an episode of this season! We have yet another great line-up of local doctors on the show this season!
In this episode, we had so much fun talking story with Dr. Jennifer King, a pediatric sports medicine doc at the Kapiolani Bone and Joint Center...and first Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine on the show! Dr. King attended medical school at Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete pediatrics residency and sports medicine fellowship at Cooper University Hospital in New Jersey! Join us as we talk about the holistic focus of osteopathic medicine, the team-based, community-based nature of sports medicine, and the constant shift and challenge of balancing work with family life! She’s also got some of the best advice...from active listening to finances and much more!
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Kyra Len, a pediatric hospitalist at the Kapiolani Medical Center. Join us as we talk about Dr. Len's typical day as a pediatric hospitalist, as well as how she balances her administrative roles with her clinical practice and her family.
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Mike Tom, a geriatrician at Queen’s Medical Center. Dr. Tom is a 2013 JABSOM grad, who went on to internal medicine residency and geriatrics fellowship training here in Hawaii. Join us as we talk about the various options to practice as a geriatrician, the complexity of geriatric medicine, and the hope we can bring to these challenging end-of-life care situations. We hope you're inspired by this episode...Hawaii is in more need of geriatricians!
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Russell Woo, a pediatric surgeon at Kapiolani Medical Center, as well as Associate Professor of Surgery and the Associate Chair for Research. Tune in to hear about the pathway to pediatric surgery, the typical day of a pediatric surgeon, and some pearls of advice for medical students hoping to go into pediatric surgery!
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Desiree Medeiros, a pediatric hematology oncology doc at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children. Dr. Des stayed in Hawaii for medical school and residency then completed her fellowship at the Children's Medical Center of Dallas. Don’t worry, it’s not as depressing as you might think! Join us as we talk about the journey from a child’s diagnosis to cure, future directions in oncology, and the care team involved in supporting patients and their families! We hope you're inspired by the amazing intimacy, reward, teamwork, and relationships cultivated in this field!
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Kara Wong-Ramsey, a neonatologist at Kapiolani Medical Center. Tune in for some discussions not only on the training pathway and typical day of a neonatologist, but also on some tough topics, such as walking with families through loss and grief, advice on starting families during medical training, and dealing with fear.
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Marcus Iwane, an internal medicine doc at the Kaiser Nanaikeola Clinic in Nanakuli. Growing up around Nanakuli and completing all his medical training here in Hawaii, Dr. Iwane’s story is all about embracing and perpetuating cultural health. Join us to hear more about rural medicine, the pros and cons of group practice, and mentorship!
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. John Garvie, a gastroenterologist in Kailua. Dr. Garvie spent his training and education, as well as much of his career on the mainland. He has been working in Hawaii for 12 years. Join us to learn more about the pathway to becoming a gastroenterologist, as well as hear some of his wisdom and insights about his passion for medicine and service to his communities!
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Lee Buenconsejo-Lum, the current Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at JABSOM, Designated Institutional Official/Director of Graduate Medical Education, and Professor of Family Medicine & Community Health. Dr. Buenconsejo-Lum is an amazing example of how a career in medicine gives us the opportunity to make a positive impact for our communities in the unique areas we're passionate about! Join us to hear about pathways in medical education, perspectives in light of recent USMLE Step 1 changes, and what advocacy looks like behind the scenes!
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Kenric Murayama, a general surgeon and also the Chair of the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Department of Surgery and the Program Director for the University of Hawaii at Manoa Department of Surgery Residency Program. Join us as we talk about applying to residency programs, the importance of finding your passion within medicine, and the future outlook for general surgery in Hawaii. We learned so much from talking with Dr. Murayama and we hope you guys can walk away with something special too!
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Kore Liow, founder of Hawaii Pacific Neuroscience, one of the largest neurology private practices in Hawaii. Dr. Liow shares with us his incredible journey in medicine, some insights on tough questions, such as dealing with grief, as well as some tips for students interested in neurology.
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Kelli-Ann Voloch, a local pediatrician at the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center and also an assistant professor at JABSOM for the Department of Native Hawaiian Health. Join us as we talk about medical education fellowships, some of the challenges of working at a community health center, and the keys to avoiding burnout. We had a lot of fun recording and we hope you guys enjoy this episode!
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Diana Huang, an ob/gyn in private practice. Join us to hear about some of the nuances in private practice and how it affects the work-life balance of an ob/gyn. Dr. Huang’s story is full of great advice for future doctors, particularly those who are interested in managing and starting their own practices!
In this episode, we talk story with Dr. Todd Kuwaye, a local internal medicine doc at Kaiser Koolau trained in MedPeds. Dr. Kuwaye also wears many other hats in leadership, playing a big role in improving Kaiser’s primary care system in Hawaii. Join us to learn about what makes MedPeds and practicing in Hawaii unique...and you’ll get some top notch tips on how to counteract burnout along the way! We hope Dr. Kuwaye’s story and wisdom inspires you, grounds you, and moves you into thought and action.
Welcome to our podcast, "Docs Talk Story"! We're so glad you're here! We created this podcast to share the unique stories of our physicians here at home in hopes of inspiring listeners and helping medical students navigate the wide range of specialties the medical field has to offer. We hope you share in our excitement after hearing about our vision in this introduction episode!