Comprehensive primary care for all ages.
881 Alma Real Dr #101
Pacific Palisades
310-829-8923
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Clinical Interests: Women's health, Adolescent medicine, Nutrition, Preventive Health, Travel Medicine
Medical School: Albany Medical College, NY
Internship & Residency: Bryn Mawr Hospital, PA
About: Dr. Blank lived in New York and Philadelphia before moving to Los Angeles in 2003. One of the aspects she likes most about practicing medicine is taking care of her patients over the long run. She enjoys getting to know patients and their families, understanding how their lives impact their health--and vice versa.
When not seeing patients or staying up on the latest medical research, Dr. Blank enjoys spending time with her children, reading, playing piano, and traveling.
Accepting new patients
901 Wilshire Blvd., 2nd floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8908
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Medical School: UCLA Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
Internship & Residency: Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers, CA
About: Dr. Buddeberg was drawn to medicine because of her fascination with how the human body works. She is in good company—there are many other physicians in her extended family. She loves to travel and considers Munich her second home. One day, she hopes to go on safari in Africa.
In her free time, Dr. Buddeberg likes to garden and do crafts. She teaches confirmation at her church. Of her three children, one daughter is planning to go into medicine as an anesthesiologist and her oldest son wants to study psychology. Her younger son is considering a career as an architect—if a career in soccer doesn’t materialize!
Languages: English, German
Accepting new patients
901 Wilshire Blvd., 2nd floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8908
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Medical School: Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, CA
About: Megan Chen, MD, MPH decided to pursue medicine while volunteering to work with the elderly in high school. The Spring Fling event at the Cupertino Senior Center was a defining moment that inspired her to consider primary care. While there, she met extraordinary people, filled with vivacity and a sense of serenity and fulfillment. Moments like these made her want to obtain her own optimal health, as well as help people achieve theirs by providing care for them throughout their lives.
As a family practitioner, Dr. Chen enjoys building relationships with her patients. She helps her patients understand their illnesses and empowers them to improve their own lives. She strongly values preventive care and incorporates her masters in public health training into her philosophy of practice.
Dr. Chen was born in California in the Silicon Valley and is Taiwanese-American. Outside of work, Dr. Chen is probably trying a new restaurant with her husband and two children or balancing and deep breathing at vinyasa yoga.
Accepting new patients
881 Alma Real Dr #101
Pacific Palisades
(310) 829-8923
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Clinical Interests: Family Medicine, gynecology, dermatology, cosmetic dermatology
Medical School: University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA
Internship & Residency: University of California Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA
About: Dr. Cohen loves listening to her patients tell their personal stories, and finds that this often opens up a dialogue that helps solve problems and improve her patients’ overall health. She believes that medical care should be compassionate, evidence-based, comprehensive and collaborative, with the medical team and patients working together to create a “medical home.” Through the experience of her patients, friends and family members, Dr. Cohen appreciates how important it is to have an advocate in the healthcare system. She is interested in exploring ways of improving healthcare to make it more patient-centered.
In her spare time, Dr. Cohen enjoys being active with her husband and two children. She is an avid hiking enthusiast, and also likes to cook, knit, and travel around the world to see family and friends (and the occasional art museum).
Dr. Cohen served as Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA and has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. She practices in Pacific Palisades, where she shares an office with Dr. Julia Blank and Dr. Grace Tassa.
901 Wilshire Blvd., 1st floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8945
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Clinical Interests: Family medicine, Travel Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, and Sports Medicine.
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: Dr. Cutler had been on the faculty at UCLA for 26 years before leaving in 2018 to establish Santa Monica Family Physicians as its founding Chairman. Now he is Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor, Voluntary at the Keck USC School of Medicine and serves as Medical Staff Vice President at Providence Saint John’s Health Center.
Originally from Boston, Dr. Cutler graduated from Dartmouth College where he majored in Chemistry and studied abroad in France before attending Tuft Medical School. More recently, he has explored his interest of Global Health during periods of practice in New Zealand and Myanmar. He now leads yearly missions to Haiti and has established the Saint John’s Global Health Program to fund similar efforts.
Dr. Cutler's wife is a clinical psychologist and they have three grown children. The Cutler family enjoys vacations together skiing, scuba diving, and pursuing adventuresome travel around the world.
Languages: English, French
Accepting new patients
2701 Ocean Park Boulevard Suite 120
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8917
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine, Geriatric Medicine
Clinical Interests: Allergies, Alzheimer's Disease, Anti-Aging, Anxiety Disorders, Asthma, Diabetes Management, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Geriatric Medicine, Holistic/Osteopathic Medicine, Menopause, Osteoporosis, Urinary Incontinence, Weight Management/ Obesity, Women's Health, Adolescent Medicine
Medical School: UCLA Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
Internship & Residency: Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, NY
Fellowship: UCLA VA Geriatric Fellowship Program, Los Angeles, CA
About: It was a natural choice for Dr. Danovitch to go into medicine. Her grandmother was a general practitioner and her mother is a pediatrician, making her a third generation female physician. Dr. Danovitch grew up helping both physicians in their offices and rounding in the hospital with them. Her close relationship with her grandmother influenced her choice to specialize in geriatrics, in addition to family medicine.
The aspect of practicing medicine that Dr. Danovitch loves most is learning from her patients' life experiences. Her favorite vacation is going home to Chicago where she grew up, spending time with her parents and five siblings.
In her spare time, Dr. Danovitch likes to hike, especially the Westridge trail leading to San Vicente Mountain. She also enjoys cooking and is working on incorporating more of the Mediterranean diet into family meals. Her signature dish is teriyaki salmon steamed in foil and served with sesame cabbage—a healthy dish her kids love.
Accepting new patients
2701 Ocean Park Boulevard Suite 120
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8917
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Medical School: King's College London (St Thomas Hospital Medical School)
Internship & Residency: UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
About: Originally trained at Oxford and St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, Dr. Garcia completed his Family Medicine Residency at UCLA. He was board certified in the U.K., and received his board certification in the United States in 1994. He has been practicing family medicine in Santa Monica since 1995.
Dr. Garcia is interested in all aspects of Family Medicine, teaching, preventive care and problem solving. He is a keen aquarist, foodie and enjoys skiing.
Accepting new patients
901 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8903
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Medical School: Grant Medical College (University of Mumbai), Mumbai, India
Internship & Residency: Christiana Care Health Services, Wilmington, DE
About: Dr. Gorwara inspired to become a family physician at the age of 14 while she was in Boarding School in Northern India. She was influenced by the school doctor who visited the infirmary daily. At one point Dr. Gorwara had become very ill, and was able to observe first-hand how a doctor made a clinical diagnosis with limited resources and testing, treating her appropriately based on symptoms and examination only. It was not only his intelligence, but the compassion he showed her as he visited her daily in the hospital for a month, that drove her to become a family physician.
She enjoys getting to know her patients and their families, not only on a professional level but a personal one as well. She feels the greatest joy a family physician can have is taking care of an entire family and really knowing her patients. She is a strong advocate of woman's health care, as a result, woman of all ages gravitate to her.
Dr. Gorwara is a part of Global Medical Brigades. This is a volunteer non-profit international movement of medical professionals working alongside local communities to set up sustainable health systems. She recently traveled to Nicaragua with her 16 year old son where they worked together and helped develop a health care system for an impoverished community.
In her off hours, Dr. Gorwara likes to run, bike and hike. She has two teenage boys with whom she enjoys spending time. She is also an excellent cook, and combines both her Indian and Welsh heritage to create unique dishes.
901 Wilshire Blvd., 1st floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8945
Specialty: Board Certified in Internal Medicine
Clinical Interests: Alzheimer's Disease, Chronic Pain, Diabetes Management
Medical School: Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC
Internship & Residency: Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
About: Dr. Greenspun chose the field of medicine because it allows him to be a teacher, problem solver, scientist and confidant to his patients. He enjoys going home each day with a sense that he helped people during difficult times.
One of the highlights of his career was serving as a physician in the Pan Am Games and later, as Chief Medical Officer for Athletics in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. He has also served as a physician for the Los Angeles Clippers and a professional soccer team in Los Angeles.
Like many doctors, Dr. Greenspun chose another avenue to serve those in need. After his mother's passing, which he says was made immeasurably easier by hospice, he helped establish a new hospice in Santa Monica. More than 10 years later, he still serves as its medical director. He finds working with hospice patients and their families very rewarding, and a constant reminder of why he chose to go into medicine. Dr. Greenspun was the first doctor in his family, but not the last. His oldest daughter went into medicine and now sees patients as an internist.
In his time away from the office, Dr. Greenspun enjoys playing golf, cycling and reading. Mostly, however, he and his wife can be found spending time with their three children and four grandchildren.
Accepting new patients
901 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8903
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: Ted Hak, MD has had a long relationship with the city of Santa Monica. He has lived in--and practiced medicine in-- Santa Monica since 1980. After serving as the Medical Director of an urgent care center for two years, Dr. Hak co-founded Santa Monica Family Physicians in 1985. The group had offices in Santa Monica for over 25 years before affiliating with UCLA. Many of the group reunited again as Santa Monica Family Physicians in 2017, when it joined Providence Medical Institute and the Saint John’s Health Center.
Dr. Hak focuses on wellness, and he has not missed a day of work due to illness for over two decades. In his spare time, he enjoys snow skiing, water skiing and golf. His wife is on the ski patrol in Big Bear, so many winter weekends are spent in the mountains. He also looks forward to spending time with his family members, who all reside in the Santa Monica area.
Dr. Hak MD completed his medical schooling at the University of Pennsylvania and did his residency at UCLA Santa Monica.
Languages: English, Polish
Accepting new patients
901 Wilshire Blvd., 2nd floor
(310) 829-8908
12555 West Jefferson Blvd #301
(424) 443-5555
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Clinical Interests: Family Medicine, Sports Medicine
Medical School: Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: Stan Hubbard, M.D. is continuing his father's legacy of providing excellent medical care to the Santa Monica community. He loves the variety inherent in practicing family medicine. Whether treating an adult or a child, Dr. Hubbard believes that partnering with his patients to create a wellness plan is key to preventing illness.
His love for athletics led Dr. Hubbard to have an interest in sports medicine and sports injuries among adults and adolescents. He played basketball at the collegiate level while completing his undergraduate degree at UCLA. In his spare time, he remains very active in pursuing his love for basketball, coaching a young adult basketball team at the YMCA and the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). Dr. Hubbard mentors many and conducts lectures at basketball camps educating young athletes on the importance of pursuing higher education, because life continues when a sporting career ends.
Dr. Hubbard is married and has two children whom he shuttles (along with their friends) to school-related and extracurricular activities. The family loves to travel and enjoys Disney Cruises.
Dr. Hubbard has been a resident of Santa Monica since he was nine months old. He attended the Santa Monica Unified School District, received his undergraduate degree from UCLA, and attended Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta before returning to Santa Monica for residency at UCLA-Santa Monica Hospital.
Accepting new patients
901 Wilshire Blvd., 2nd floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8908
Specialty: Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.
Clinical Interests: Sleep Disorders, Sleep Apnea, Narcolepsy, Primary Care, Pulmonology
Medical School: University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Internship: UCSF Affiliated Alameda County Medical Center
Residency: Martin Luther King-Drew Harbor Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
Fellowship: Martin Luther King-Drew Harbor Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
About: Dr. LaBrot is a patient-centered physician who values the long-term relationships which he has established with so many patients over the years.
Dr. LaBrot is on the Board of Directors for Floating Doctors and has traveled the world treating patients in resource limited areas of the world, including his work with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India. He is a popular lecturer for the University of Minnesota biannual CME program in Delivery of Medical Care in Resource Poor Areas.
Outside of work, he enjoys horseback riding, hiking, cross country skiing, and studying history and philosophy.
Accepting new patients
2701 Ocean Park Boulevard Suite 120
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8917
Specialty: Family Medicine
Medical School: University of Southern California
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: Catherine McDonald, M.D. was drawn into the medical field by a love of science and a deep desire to help people. During her undergraduate years in college, she discovered Dr. Paul Farmer, a physician who founded Partners in Health. This is an organization that provides healthcare to those most in need. It was this man’s history and commitment to health and community that provided the turning point for Dr. McDonald in her medical career. After receiving her Doctor of Medicine degree from USC, she completed her internship and residency at UCLA with a specialty in Family Medicine.
Dr. McDonald finds the time to serve the underserved especially within the international community. During medical school she spent a month in Panama providing medical care to indigenous people on remote islands with a group called The Floating Doctors. As a medical student she worked with Healing Hearts Across Borders, setting up free clinics at two different locations in Tijuana, Mexico.
When not at the office, Dr. McDonald enjoys trying new coffee shops and restaurants all over Los Angeles, reading novels, playing soccer, running and hiking. She also travels; her favorite location is Japan in April when the cherry blossoms are blooming.
901 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8903
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: Watching Marcus Welby, MD, the eponymous hero of the 1970s TV show, inspired Eileen McGrath to pursue a career in medicine. While attending college in Ithaca, NY, she shadowed a family doctor who took care of people in jail and delivered babies. That’s when she decided to go into family medicine.
Dr. McGrath’s Irish heritage is important to her. Her parents came from Ireland and she visits the Emerald Island every couple of years, where she has 68 first cousins. Dr. McGrath did her residency at UCLA and decided to stay in Santa Monica. She loves the weather, the ocean, and the mountains. Her activities of choice are hiking, running, and biking along beach trails. In her time off, she also enjoys travel. Her favorite places so far include Brazil, Argentina, Peru, South Africa and Japan. Her bucket list destination? The 7th continent: Antarctica.
Dr. McGrath's husband, Mark Needham MD, also practices family medicine. Their daughter is a pre-med student, majoring in global health and Spanish. They also have two sons, one of whom resides in New York and is a professional dancer and choreographer, and another who is studying music at UCLA.
901 Wilshire Blvd., 2nd floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8908
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Medical School: UCLA Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: Janice Miyakawa, MD is a second generation Los Angelino. She started medical school intending to go into research, but during clinical rotations she fell in love with the hands-on process of patient care, which she continues to find both challenging and interesting.
Dr. Miyakawa believes that people who are informed and actively participating in their health choices are more likely to succeed at staying healthy. She is trained in standard western medicine, but also respects other forms of healing arts that stand up to scientific inquiry. Like her parents before her, Dr. Miyakawa believes that education is fundamental. She is proud of her twins and their college achievements. Her most current interests outside of the office include sculling, ballroom dancing, swimming, piano, live music, gardening and tai chi.
Languages: English, Spanish
2021 Santa Monica Boulevard Suite 625E
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8948
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Clinical Interests: Allergy, Alzheimer's Disease, Asthma, Diabetes Management, Diabetic Foot Care, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Geriatric Medicine, Headaches, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Osteoporosis, Weight Management/ Obesity, Contraceptive Options, Woman Wellness Check Ups, Adolescent Medicine, Pediatrics, Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), Hyperlipidemia Management (High Cholesterol)
Medical School: UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: For over 30 years, Dr. Michael Nagata has been committed to keeping Westside residents well and active. From allergies to geriatric issues, diabetes to hormone replacement therapy, Dr. Nagata has your family health care needs covered.
As an outdoor enthusiast, Dr. Nagata developed a special interest in health risks and conditions that can be acquired from outdoor activities. He has extensive training and experience in adventure and travel medicine and can provide preventive advice and treatment for illnesses and injuries sustained while active in nature’s playground. He is a firm believer in the benefits of exercise. Dr. Nagata is a Master Scuba Diver and loves exploring the ocean.
Accepting new patients
901 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8903
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: Mark Needham, MD has a special “doctor gene” in his blood. Inspired by his grandfather who practiced medicine in a small town in Ohio for over 50 years, he too chose family medicine as his career, and hopes to meet or beat his grandfather’s 50 year practice streak. His wife Eileen McGrath, MD also practices family medicine and their daughter is a pre-med at Duke University, carrying on the Needham family medical legacy.
Dr. Needham attended Stanford University, and completed his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University. He trained in family medicine at Santa Monica Hospital. His love for medicine and the city of Santa Monica are equal and he is happy knowing he is contributing to the wellness of those who reside on the Westside.
In addition to a daughter, Dr. Needham has two sons, one of whom resides in New York and is a professional dancer and choreographer, the other is attending the The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. In his spare time, Dr. Needham likes to hike, road and mountain bike, golf, travel, read and continue to learn about the newest medical discoveries and trends. Dr. Needham is an avid Lionel train fan and is building the Santa Monica Canyon and Pacific Garden Railroad in his back yard.
Accepting new patients
901 Wilshire Blvd., 1st floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8945
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Clinical Interests: Women's Health, Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause, Premenstrual Issues, Men's Health, Testosterone Therapy, and Longevity.
Medical School: Ohio State University School of Medicine, Columbus, OH
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: Velinda Paranal, MD is a native of Los Angeles and has loved practicing Family Medicine in Santa Monica for over 20 years. Historically treating all ages, she now specializes in the care of adults and their changing needs. She is also the Scribe Program Director for Santa Monica Family Physicians, promoting office visits that offer high tech efficiency and quality time with your physician.
After earning a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Stanford University, she worked as an environmental educator, then as a comprehensive science high school teacher, before going on to medical school. She graduated from the Ohio State University College of Medicine, and completed her residency at the Santa Monica Hospital Medical Center.
In her spare time, Dr. Paranal enjoys hiking, yoga, playing the ukulele, and aviation with her family. Recently she volunteered on an educational mission to Ethiopia, helping to build a rural school and supporting leadership training for government officials.
Languages: English, Spanish.
Accepting new patients
901 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8903
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Clinical Interests: Family Medicine, Pediatric Patients
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
Internship & Residency: Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
About: Dr. Shahira Ramji is originally from Nairobi, Kenya but was raised since the age of four in Milwaukee before moving to Los Angeles to work as a Family Medicine physician. Being a doctor is all she has ever wanted to do. She loves meeting people of all ages, from different walks of life. Her most cherished goal is to enrich her patients' lives by making a positive impact on their health and in her daily practice, uses a multi-modal approach in their treatment.
Dr. Ramji is a life-long Green Bay Packers fan. Her other personal interests include reading suspense and mystery novels, going on cruises and most of all, spending time with family and friends.
Languages: English, Gujarati
Accepting new patients
901 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8903
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Clinical Interests: Family Medicine, Sports Medicine
Medical School: McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Canada
Internship & Residency: St. Mary’s Hospital, Montreal, Canada
About: Dr. Ross loves the “art” as well as the science of medicine. He strives to establish and maintain long term relationships with his patients by listening to them and empowering them to take ownership in their own health care.
Dr. Ross believes in the continual personal pursuit of education and knowledge. In his free time, he enjoys reading, running and cycling. He incorporates his love of exercise into his medical practice by offering sports medicine and by encouraging his patients to live a healthy lifestyle which encompasses exercise, acts of self-kindness and proper nutrition.
Accepting new patients
2021 Santa Monica Boulevard Suite 625E
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8948
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Clinical Interests: Allergies, Colonoscopy
Medical School: UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: Steven Seizer, MD, has been practicing medicine in Santa Monica for over 30 years. His journey into medicine was influenced by his grandfather, who emigrated from Russia when he was 13. He didn’t speak a word of English, but dreamed of becoming a doctor. Medical school was well beyond his budget, but a degree at Columbia University wasn’t, thanks to a scholarship. He became a writer, and ultimately created and produced Marcus Welby, MD, the very popular television show that featured a beloved family physician known for his exceptional bedside manner. Parts of the show were filmed at Saint John’s Health Center, where his grandson, Dr. Seizer, practices today.
Dr. Seizer certainly hopes to have some of the bedside manner of Marcus Welby. He really enjoys practicing medicine, finding the honest interaction between patient and doctor very fulfilling. He keeps up on the newest advances in medicine, to make the most accurate diagnosis and create a personalized treatment plan for each patient. Dr. Seizer has three sons, and it looks like they too may be interested in following the family’s love of medicine.
When not tending to his patients, he enjoys running, both on trails in the local mountains, as well as on the road. He has completed over 15 marathons. On weekends, he plays beach volleyball and spends time with his family (including a weekly round of golf with his father).
He practices what he preaches: exercise, to stay fit and healthy.
2021 Santa Monica Boulevard Suite 625E
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8948
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Clinical Interests: Primary Care, Allergies, Anxiety Disorders, Asthma, Chronic Pain, Chemical Dependency, Diabetes Management, Geriatric Medicine, Headaches, Holistic/Osteopathic Medicine, Menopause, Nutrition, Osteoporosis, Sleep Disorders, Weight Management/ Obesity
Medical School: University of Texas, Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: Ask Dr. Manali Shendrikar who her greatest role model is, and she will tell you it is her late mother. A foreign medical graduate from India, Dr. Shendrikar’s mother was a family physician. She remembers her mother coming home from seeing patients all day, and still cooking fresh, homemade Indian food every night. She taught her daughter that she could do anything in life and still balance career and family. With three young children of her own, Dr. Shendrikar is doing just that.
Family is important to her—all families, in fact. She loves taking care of multiple generations of families. Away from the office, she enjoys working out. She has also snorkeled some of the most picturesque beaches in Thailand and Mexico, where she enjoys practicing her Spanish. Dr. Shendrikar hopes to someday climb Machu Picchu in Peru, a dream she shared with her late mother.
Dr. Shendrikar’s patients should not be surprised if they find her on a stage somewhere in Los Angeles, doing stand-up comedy. In high school and college, she was part of Bloomers, an all-female comedy troupe. She had to forego her comedic aspirations to focus on attending medical school, but recently began performing again. So on stage and off, she hopes to keep all her patients smiling.
Languages: English, Spanish, Marathi
881 Alma Real Dr #101
Pacific Palisades
310-829-8923
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Medical School: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
Internship & Residency: Overlook Medical Center, NJ
Fellowship: Ethox Centre - Oxford University, UK
About: Dr. Grace Tassa trained at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, where she graduated with Distinction in Research. She completed two medical ethics fellowships, including one at Oxford University. Dr. Tassa was valedictorian of her college at Yeshiva University and holds degrees in both Biochemistry and Judaic Studies. She holds a certificate in Medical Humanities and authored multiple publications including research articles and medical textbook chapters. Dr. Tassa enjoys staying current on medical literature and popular health topics and is also a prenatal and vinyasa yoga instructor.
Dr. Tassa partners with her patients to help them reach their personal health and wellness goals. To that end, she believes self-care is vital and encourages her patients to cultivate a healthful routine that fits their individual needs. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Tassa devises and oversees quality improvement initiatives that benefit patients throughout the local healthcare system.
In her free time, Dr. Tassa can be found practicing yoga, visiting with friends and family, and going to the park with her son.
Accepting new patients
2701 Ocean Park Boulevard Suite 120
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8917
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Clinical Interests: Diabetes Management, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Geriatric Medicine, Migraine Headaches, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause, Nutrition, Women's Health, Pediatrics, Primary Care Physician
Medical School: University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: Dr. Nora Vasquez has many passions, and medicine is just one of them. She was inspired to go into medicine as a child, when her family had no one to call for help in caring for her sick father. Dr. Vasquez choose family medicine because she felt she owed it to her people to help with the mundane, everyday problems that every family struggles with at some point.
Dr. Vasquez grew up in Fontana and loves the LA Dodgers. As a child, she remembers listening to Vince Scully call the games on the radio. Hiking, skiing, cooking and travel are Dr. Vasquez’s other great passions. She loves to hit the slopes of Beaver Creek, CO, Mammoth and even the local mountains when there is snow. She enjoys hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains and names the Dolomites in northern Italy as her all-time favorite destination.
Over the holidays, Dr. Vasquez and her husband Chris brought three generations of Vasquez women together to teach their two daughters how to make her mother’s special Colombian Empanadas. She says her greatest passion of all is to enrich her daughters’ lives, opening their worlds and allow them to experience everything they can and want to do. “I practice medicine with a passion,” she says, “because I love it, and because I also want my girls to be proud and empowered women.”
Languages: English, Spanish
901 Wilshire Blvd., 2nd floor
Santa Monica
(310) 829-8908
Specialty: Board Certified in Family Medicine
Medical School: Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI
Internship & Residency: Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, CA
About: Jill Wei, MD was drawn to medicine, particularly primary care, since high school when shadowed her cousin during her family medicine residency. She went on to attend Brown University for medical school and did her internship and residency at UCLA Santa Monica. A native California, born and raised in the Valley, Dr. Wei, chose to remain in Santa Monica and establish her medical practice.
Dr. Wei loves being a family physician because it allows her to develop great relationships with patients over time. She finds it a privilege to encourage people to be their best and achieve a lifetime of wellness. The clinical interests in her practice include women's health, asthma, diabetes, and gastroesophogeal reflux disease.
In her spare time, Dr. Wei may be spotted marathon training with her Santa Monica-based running club. She has completed numerous marathons and enjoys cross training with hikes and yoga. One of her favorite vacation spots to hike and relax is Big Sur. Eating and trying new foods is another passion, and she trying to improve her cooking skills by taking classes with her husband.
Accepting new patients