*Please note: Circle Medical is unable to see patients who are on a Medicaid or MediCal insurance plan, as it could result in you losing your insurance coverage. If after booking with us it is found that you have a plan that is part of Medicaid or MediCal, your appointment will be cancelled.* What makes you passionate about being a healthcare provider? Facilitating the impact and privilege of medical expertise to deliver high quality patient-centered healthcare. Systematically approaching care using up-to-date evidence based medicine and innovative technological advances valuing patients, increasing access, and establishing trust and positive patients rapports. In your opinion, what should be the role of a primary care provider for a patient, taking into account both physical health and behavioral health needs? The role of a primary care provider for a patient should be comprehensive and holistic. It is important for primary care providers to understand the interdependence of physical health and behavioral health needs, utilizing and optimizing interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams and resources to ensure healthcare needs are met. Within their scope of practice and specific practice style, primary care providers are equipped to manage both physical health and behavioral health needs, referring to specialty care as indicated per each patient’s customized care plan and presenting symptoms. Tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you like to do in your spare time? I am an avid reader and enjoy American authors, such as Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Robert Greene. I also love to cook and bake, and enjoy learning new low-carb, low-calorie healthy alternative recipes. Lastly, I recently started taking Italian lessons, so that I can communicate better with my in-laws; they only half understand my conversational Spanish.