Photo by Brandon Sullivan

Specialty: Internal Medicine
Medical School: Albany Medical College, New York
Years Practicing: 10
Hometown: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

How many places have you lived in your life?
“I’ve lived in Ethiopia and also India. I also lived in Iowa. I graduated from high school and went to college in Ames, Iowa. I gradated from medical school in upstate New York. It’s impacted me a lot and given me a very broad perspective. It’s hard to look at things from one view when you’ve traveled so much.”

Why did you choose internal medicine?
“I went to college in Iowa, which was a great, fantastic place to go to school. Great educational system there. My major was biochemistry – the fundamentals of biology, life and science. Going into medical school, I always had an interest in knowing a bit about everything – the patient as a whole.”

What is the one symptom you treat that most people can avoid if they take care of themselves?
“I think just about everything. Most things we deal with are preventable. There are unfortunate things, like cancer, but the majority of the ailments we deal with are considered preventable: being overweight and not eating right, not exercising. In general, it’s not being as active and exercising as they should. If we took better care of ourselves and avoided stressful situations…”

What recent technological innovation has really changed internal medicine?
“In general, it’s the electronic medical record systems, where one can access not only written documents online but also X-ray images and radiological data. Through Banner Health, we can actually log onto the Internet and view images of our patients instead of [having] them carrying those big, bulky films around. It’s going to make a profound difference as time goes on. When it is viewable in real time, it will make even more of an impact. It can reduce redundant tests and even prevent illnesses.”

So are you a fan of Google’s pilot project with a Cleveland facility to index medical records?
“I don’t know if I’m a fan because I don’t know if Google is as medically inclined as the healthcare systems might be. I’m very positive about that project, but I wish I knew more about it. However, I am not surprised by it.”

What do you do to reduce your own stress and take care of yourself?
“Being in Phoenix, I enjoy outdoor activities. I love to hike and mountain bike. I’m a tennis player also. Any chance I can get to put a helmet on and ride a desert path out there is good. If only I had more time to take the longer route rather than the shorter route.”