CONSULTANTS

Please scroll down to see all medical specialties for which we have expert witness consultants.

ORTHOPEDICS


Edward W. Younger, III, M.D.

ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON

Dr. Younger, Medical Director, MRK Medical Consultants, specializes in orthopedic surgery. He has extensive experience in total joint replacement, as well as reconstructive surgery of the knee, hip, and shoulder. He served on the orthopedic trauma staff at Mercy San Juan Medical Center for more than fifteen years and was instrumental in bringing computer navigation technology to that institution. Dr. Younger is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and a member of the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and the California Orthopaedic Association. Dr. Younger received his medical degree from Chicago Medical School, where he was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha.

 Michael R. Klein, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S.

ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON

Dr. Klein is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and the founder of MRK Medical Consultants. He was the first medical director of Northern California Orthopedic Centers, now called Summit Orthopedics. He was involved with the development of the orthopedic section of the Level II Trauma Center at Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael, California. He is an orthopedic consultant to the Veterans Administration and evaluates patients at Mather VA Hospital and Clinics. He previously volunteered for three decades as a clinical professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of California, Davis Medical Center. He has been a member of the North American Spine Society since 2009 and was awarded the David O. Selby Award in 2020 for his efforts as facilitator of Spine Connect, his commitment to spinal care, and for his service as a reviewer for The Spine Journal. In 2023, he was given the organization's Advocacy Award for his services as co-chair of the SpinePAC Advisory Committee and the Advisory Council. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Klein retired from the USAF Medical Corps in 1998 after being on active duty during the Vietnam War, and he was activated for Operation Desert Storm in 1991. He is a private pilot and enjoys international travel. His most favorite activity is spending time with his four grandchildren. Dr. Klein received his master of science in anatomy and neuroanatomy from Drexel University and his medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine.

William L. Bargar, M.D.

JOINT RECONSTRUCTION SURGEON

Dr. Bargar is an award-winning orthopedic surgeon and robotics pioneer. He is the co-inventor of the Robodoc joint replacement system, a medical development so important that the prototype now resides in the Smithsonian Museum of American History. As a board-certified surgeon, he practiced in the Sacramento area for many years, including with Sutter Community Hospitals. He is a clinical professor at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine in the Department of Orthopedics. Dr. Bargar is the recipient or co-recipient of multiple honors, including the Computerworld Smithsonian Award for Information Technology in Medicine and the prestigious Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Award. He is a member of the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty and the International Society for the Study of Custom-Made Prostheses. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and a member of the Orthopaedic Research Society, the Hip Society, the Knee Society, Academic Orthopedic Society, Western Orthopaedic Association, and the American Orthopaedic Association. He has reviewed for prominent publications such as Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, and The Journal of Arthroplasty. He has published extensively on total hip arthroplasty and total hip revisions, as well as on robotics in hip surgery. He has also authored book chapters on hip replacement, revision total hip arthroplasty, custom design, and robotics in hip surgery. Dr. Bargar is a graduate of The Ohio State University School of Medicine and completed his residency at Case Western Reserve University. He then went on to a course of study at UCLA in biomechanics and joint replacement. He also has a master of science degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering. 


Robert E. Burky, Jr., M.D.

ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON

Dr. Burky is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with more than thirty years of experience in the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries and degenerative conditions. He also has interests in infection prevention and control. He has served in a variety of administrative roles in several healthcare facilities including the Sutter Surgical Hospital, North Valley; Adventist Health and Rideout (formerly Fremont-Rideout Health Group); and the Feather River Surgery Center. He completed his residency at the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center and received his medical degree from the University of Southern California. He has contributed to published research in the area of infection prevention and control, including work that helped lead to publication of international research on the adherence and transfer of spores of C. diff to and from isolation gowns and patterns of antimicrobial resistance in C. diff strains.

John G. Finkenberg, M.D.

ORTHOPEDIC SPINE SURGEON

Dr. Finkenberg is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in the spine. He is board certified with fellowship training in advanced spinal reconstructive surgery. He has served as chief of the Orthopaedic Department at Alvarado Hospital Medical Center and is currently acting director of the Alvarado Spine Center. He has authored several articles and lectures both nationally and internationally on spine surgery. Currently, he coordinates multi-center prospective outcome studies on lumbar and cervical spinal fusion. He holds a patent for diagnosing fractures with intrasound vibration. Dr. Finkenberg received his medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He completed internships in general surgery and orthopedic surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and a spine fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland. He also holds a doctor of chiropractic degree. Dr. Finkenberg is in private practice with Alvarado Orthopedic Medical Group in San Diego. 

Vadim Goz, M.D.

ORTHOPEDIC SPINE SURGEON

Dr. Goz is a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon who specializes in both complex revision and minimally invasive spine surgery. He is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and is licensed in both Nevada and California. Dr. Goz has written more than thirty research articles for peer-reviewed journals, as well as multiple textbook chapters and podium presentations given at national meetings. He is a member of the Nevada Orthopedic Society, the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Community Faculty, the North American Spine Society, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Goz completed his fellowship training in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery at the Rothman Institute/Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA. His residency training in orthopaedic surgery took place at the University of Utah, and he received his medical degree from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, New York, where he graduated with Alpha Omega Alpha honors and received a distinction in clinical research. He is in private practice in Reno, Nevada.

David Bradley Jones, M.D.

ORTHOPEDIC SPINE SURGEON

Dr. Jones is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in the spine, having completed a spine fellowship at the Los Angeles Spine Surgery Institute, where he was the Dr. Robert Watkins Fellowship Director. He is currently co-medical director of the Hip & Spine Center at Mercy Medical Center in Redding, CA. He also serves as a consultant and teaching faculty member for Medtronic’s MAZORX Robotics System. He is a VCP surgeon, teaching other surgeons on MAZORX standard cases as well as advanced Single Position 360 fusion surgery for lumbar deformities. He has a patent for a spinal graft delivery system and was co-founder for a start-up spinal implant company. Dr. Jones is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and a member of the North American Spine Society, and the Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Association. He completed his orthopedic residency at Atlanta Medical Center and his internship at Georgia Baptist Medical Center. He received his medical degree from the University of South Alabama School of Medicine and a bachelor of science cum laude from Auburn University.

Arnoldas Kungys, M.D., F.A.A.O.S.

ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON

Dr. Kungys is a board-certified orthopedic trauma surgeon with extensive experience in both civilian and military clinical practices, having retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel. He has served as chief of orthopedics at Wuerzburg Army Hospital in Wuerzburg, Germany, and at David Grant Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California. He currently is chief of the orthopedic division at VA Northern California Health Care System and Sacramento Mather VA Medical Center. Dr. Kungys completed a fellowship in orthopedic trauma with Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeons of Northern California. His residency in orthopedic surgery and his internship in general surgery were conducted at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. He received both his medical degree and a master of science degree in human physiology from Georgetown University. His undergraduate degree is from the University of California, Irvine. He is a member of the Orthopedic Trauma Association, the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons, the California Orthopedic Association and is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Clifford Pereira, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.R.C.S.

HAND and WRIST SURGEON

Dr. Pereira is board-certified in surgery, surgery of the hand, and plastic surgery. He is a professor of surgery at the University of California, Davis Medical Center's Division of Plastic Surgery/Hand Surgery and previously was an affiliate assistant professor of plastic surgery at Stanford Medical Center and an attending physician at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. He is able to evaluate any trauma to the hand as well as peripheral nerve injuries that occur to any extremity as a result of motor vehicle accidents, falls, and industrial or agricultural crush injuries. Dr. Pereira's research at UC Davis involves looking at novel surgical techniques to improve function after these devastating injuries. He can evaluate burn injuries and reconstructions, as well as scars from any cause, anywhere on the body. He also works with brachial plexus injuries, neuromas, and lower extremity free flap reconstructions and can opine on these types of cases as well. He is the author of numerous articles and book chapters and has presented at medical conferences throughout the United States and in Europe. He has received multiple awards and honors, including from the Mayo Clinic Microsurgery Reconstructive Course. He is a member of the American Society for Peripheral Nerve and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Dr. Pereira completed his residencies in general surgery and plastic surgery, as well as a fellowship in hand and microsurgery, at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has an FRCS from the Royal College of Surgeons of both England and Edinburgh (UK), and received his medical degree from M.S. University in Baroda, India. 

Gavin Pereira, M.D., F.A.A.O.S., F.R.C.S. (Surg), F.R.C.S. (Trauma & Ortho)

ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON

Dr. Pereira is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with extensive training in orthopedic trauma. He is currently an associate professor of orthopaedics at the University of California, Davis Medical Center, where he also works as a faculty attending surgeon. He is available to evaluate any body part, with a special expertise in hips and knees. He has been recognized many times with teaching and physician care awards. He is the author of numerous medical journal articles and has presented at conferences throughout the United States and in Britain. Dr. Pereira completed a fellowship in adult reconstructive surgery at NYU/Hospital for Joint Diseases and a fellowship in orthopedic trauma at Vancouver General Hospital/University of British Columbia. He conducted his residency at the Royal College of Surgeons of England’s Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham and University Hospital Coventry in Coventry. His internship in general surgery took place at Sir Pramukh Swami Medical College in Gujarat, India, and he received his medical degree from Baroda Medical College at Maharaja Sayajiro University in Baroda, India. He is a member of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the British Orthopaedic Association, and the California Orthopaedic Association. He also is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and serves on the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation Medical Board of Trustees. 

Shahin Rad, M.D.

ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON

Dr. Rad is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with expertise in joint reconstruction throughout the body and is trained in advanced surgical techniques such as Mako Robotic partial knee replacement. He is available to evaluate any body part of orthopedic concern. He is with the Los Angeles Bone and Joint Institute and the Southern California Medical Group. He also serves as a clinical instructor in the University of Southern California’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and as an adjunct instructor with Michigan State University’s Department of Surgery. He is the author of multiple research publications and has presented at conferences throughout the United States and in Canada. He also has published in the prestigious Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery and the American Journal of Sports Medicine, among others. He completed a fellowship in adult reconstruction/joint replacement at the University of Southern California. His residency in orthopaedic surgery was conducted at McLaren Regional Medical Center/Michigan State University, where he was chief orthopaedic surgery resident, and his internship at Rhode Island Hospital/Brown Medical School. He received his medical degree from Chicago Medical School, where he also earned a master’s degree in applied physiology. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, and the International Congress for Joint Reconstruction. He is licensed to practice in California and Michigan.

Tajdip S. Sandhu, M.D.

ORTHOPEDIC SPINE SURGEON

Dr. Sandhu is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with fellowship training in spine surgery. He manages all aspects of spine care, including trauma, degenerative, tumor, deformity, and disc replacement. He is in private practice in Phoenix, Arizona, and also serves as a clinical assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Arizona-Phoenix College of Medicine. He is licensed in both Arizona and California, and is active in national orthopedic and spine societies. Dr. Sandhu completed his spine fellowship at Harvard University with Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He completed his residency at the Keck Los Angeles County USC Medical Center’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He earned his medical degree from the USC-Keck School of Medicine, and his bachelor’s degree from USC. At USC, he received the merit-based, full-tuition Trustee Scholarship and was selected to the prestigious Baccalaureate/MD program, which granted him acceptance to the USC School of Medicine out of high school. In addition, he has completed political science and international relations coursework at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom and studied value-based healthcare delivery at Harvard Business School.

Robert Slater, M.D., F.A.C.S.

ORTHOPEDIC HAND and ARM SPECIALIST

Dr. Slater specializes in the hand and upper extremity. He has served on several American Academy of Orthopedic boards and committees and is widely published on issues of the hand and upper extremity. He is a faculty preceptor for physician assistant students at the University of California, Davis Family Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant Program and a clinical professor in the university’s Department of Orthopedic Surgery. He has served as president of the Western Orthopaedic Association and chair of the membership committee of the California Orthopaedic Association. Dr. Slater received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residencies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and went on to do a fellowship in hand and microvascular surgery at the University of California, Davis. He is board certified in orthopedic surgery, with an additional certification in surgery of the hand. Dr. Slater is in private practice in Folsom, California. 

Mark N. Skinner, M.D.

ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON

Dr. Skinner is a board-certified general orthopedic surgeon with extensive experience in all aspects of orthopedics and a focus on total joint replacement. He also has significant experience with operating room management and departmental oversight. Dr. Skinner spent more than twenty-five years as a surgeon at Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers in the Sacramento area, where he also served for multiple years as physician operating room director, leading teams in the improvement of patient care and surgery outcomes. Dr. Skinner completed his residency at St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City, where he served as chief resident, and his internship at the University of California, Davis. He earned his medical degree and bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Davis. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and a member of the California Medical Association and the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society.

Richard Tortosa, M.D.

ORTHOPEDIC HAND and ARM SPECIALIST

Dr. Tortosa is a preeminent hand surgeon who also specializes in other areas of the upper extremity, including soft tissue and skeletal injuries to the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. He is board-certified in orthopedics with a hand surgery subspecialty. He served for more than two decades as a clinical orthopedics professor at the University of California, Davis and has had numerous upper extremity fellowships. Dr. Tortosa has served on the Mayo Clinic Elbow Study Group and is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Society of Surgery of the Hand, and the International Wrist Investigators. He received his medical degree from the University of Southern California and completed his residency at the University of California San Francisco. He also has an executive MBA in healthcare from the University of California, Irvine.

James P. Voigtlander, M.D.

ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON

Dr. Voigtlander is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon currently practicing general orthopedic surgery at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital in Sacramento. He retired from Kaiser-Permanente in 2022 after thirty years with the medical group, where he served in multiple capacities throughout his tenure, including as assistant physician-in-chief, chief of musculoskeletal services, chief of orthopedics, assistant chief of orthopedics, orthopedic residency director, and orthopedic staff surgeon. His special clinical interests include total joint replacement surgery, reconstructive surgery, trauma surgery, and complex wound care. He completed his orthopedic residency at University of California, Davis Medical Center and received his medical degree from Tulane University in New Orleans. After completing his undergraduate degree at Sonoma State University and prior to medical school, he was a cardiac surgery research assistant at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Stephen C. Weber, M.D.

ORTHOPEDICS/SPORTS MEDICINE

Dr. Weber is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with decades of expertise in shoulder surgery. He is a former medical officer with the FDA’s Office of Health Technology, where he reviewed the safety and efficacy of orthopedic devices for all parts of the body. He is currently an assistant professor at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the Department of Orthopedics, Division of Shoulder Surgery. Dr. Weber, whose subspeciality certification is in sports medicine, has served as team physician for the World’s Men Pro Ski Tour, the Sacramento Steelheads professional baseball team, Sacramento Capitals World Team Tennis, as well as for the University of California, Davis and Sacramento City College. He has been an assistant editor for numerous journals and has worked as a physician reviewer for the New England Journal of Medicine and the American Journal of Sports Medicine, among others. He has received awards for his research and has published numerous scholarly articles. Dr. Weber completed an A.O./ASIF fracture fellowship at Kantonsspital Basel Stadt in Basel, Switzerland and an arthroscopy fellowship at Orthopaedic Research of Virginia. In between, he did a three-month stint in Hassan, India, as a volunteer performing polio surgery with Orthopedics Overseas. Both his internship and residency were done at the University of California, Davis. He received his medical degree and undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.   

ORTHOPEDIC IMPLANTS

See Metallurgic Engineer

ALLERGY and IMMUNOLOGY

Robert L. Saunders, M.D., F.A.A.A.I.

ALLERGIST and IMMUNOLOGIST

Dr. Saunders is board certified in allergy and immunology as well as internal medicine. He spent many years at a large allergy practice in Houston, Texas. Prior to that he practiced internal medicine, including serving as chief of internal medicine at USAF Hospital Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento, California. He had a 23-year combined active and reserve career in the Air Force Medical Corps, including a short stint in the Army Reserves during Desert Storm, and retired in 2007 with the rank of colonel. He previously served as a clinical assistant professor at the otorhinolaryngology – head and neck division at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. He previously held the same position for the allergy division of the University of California, Davis Medical Center Department of Medicine. Dr. Saunders earned his medical degree at the University of Mississippi. He completed both his internal medicine internship and residency with the Keesler Medical Center, 81st Medical Group in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he served as chief resident for internal medicine. His undergraduate degree is from Mississippi State University. He is a member of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology; the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; the Texas Medical Association; and the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States. He is licensed in Texas.

ANESTHESIOLOGY

Michael Greenberg, M.D. 

ANESTHESIOLOGIST

Dr. Greenberg is a board-certified anesthesiologist with more than three decades of experience working in trauma, acute pain management, high-risk obstetrics, and cardiac anesthesia. He currently works as a staff anesthesiologist serving multiple medical centers in Vancouver, Washington. He previously served as medical director of the Mercy San Juan Surgery Center in Sacramento, California, and chairman of the hospital’s Department of Anesthesiology. He also has been a senior physician diplomat at the University of California, Davis Medical Center, where he taught anesthesia residents. He is a member of the American Society of Anesthesiology, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia, the International Anesthesia Research Society, and the Washington Society of Anesthesiology. Dr. Greenberg completed both his internship in general surgery and residency in anesthesiology at the Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center. He also completed a mini-fellowship in cardiovascular anesthesia at Good Samaritan Hospital (Los Angeles/USC Medical Center). He received his medical degree from Medical College of Wisconsin and a bachelor of science in chemistry from Emory University in Atlanta. He is licensed to practice in Washington and Oregon.

Jun Kyu Park, M.D.

ANESTHESIOLOGIST

Dr. Park is a board-certified anesthesiologist with many years of experience. He is currently president of an anesthesia medical practice and has previously worked as medical director at an ambulatory surgery center. He completed his anesthesiology residency at the UCLA School of Medicine and his internship at White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles. He also served as a laboratory assistant in the UCLA School of Medicine’s division of pathology, and worked as a field research assistant at the Public Health Institute in Los Angeles and as a volunteer for multiple medical clinics. He received his medical degree from the University of California at San Diego and completed a post-baccalaureate premedical program at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. His undergraduate degree is from the University of California at Berkeley.

BARIATRIC/GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY

See General Surgery

BILLING

See Medical and Hospital Bill Auditing

CARDIOLOGY

Richard J. Axelrod, M.D.

CARDIOLOGIST

Dr. Axelrod is board certified in both internal medicine and cardiology. His special focus is interventional cardiology, in which he obtained his board certification in 1999. He is a practicing cardiologist with Northern California Cardiology Associates. Dr. Axelrod is also a certified qualified medical evaluator and a member of the medical-legal committee for the Sacramento-El Dorado Medical Society. He is a fellow in the American College of Cardiology and a member of the California Medical Association. Dr. Axelrod received his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School. He completed his internship, residency, and fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. He also has a master’s degree in chemistry from Harvard University.  

CHIROPRACTIC ORTHOPEDICS

Lewis N. Meltz, D.C., D.A.B.C.O.

CHIROPRACTIC ORTHOPEDICS

Dr. Meltz is managing director and founder of The Meltz Group in El Dorado Hills, California. He is board certified by the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedists and specializes in the evaluation and treatment of nerve, muscle and joint conditions. He is a fellow of the Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedists and has worked as a postgraduate instructor at the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, Department of Orthopedics; the Emperor’s College of Traditional Oriental Medicine; and Lerner Education, Inc. He also has served as an expert consultant for numerous private and government agencies. He frequently conducts presentations on various current topics in the fields of chiropractic and orthopedics. Dr. Meltz is a Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedists and the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. He received his doctor of chiropractic degree from Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. Dr. Meltz is a certified industrial injury consultant and a qualified medical evaluator certified by the State of California Department of Industrial Relations.

COVID-19 

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CRITICAL CARE/INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

Peter Murphy, M.D., M.R.C.P., F.C.C.P., B.Sc.

CRITICAL CARE/ICU SPECIALIST

Dr. Murphy is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, with subspecialties in pulmonary disease and
critical care. He has been in private practice in Carmichael, California, since 1977 and is currently a clinical professor and assistant dean, chair of the Internal Medicine Department at California Northstate University College of Medicine in Elk Grove, California. He is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and is the recipient of numerous honors and awards. He has served at various times as president of the medical staff, medical director of the trauma unit, and director of the intensive care unit at Mercy San Juan Medical Center.
He has also worked as a qualified medical examiner. Dr. Murphy completed his residency at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, New York and a fellowship in pulmonary disease at State University of New York at Buffalo. He received his medical degree from University College of Dublin, Ireland.  

DERMATOLOGY 

Artur Henke, M.D., F.A.A.D.

DERMATOLOGIST

Dr. Henke is a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience in medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology. He specializes in the recognition and management of all types of skin cancer—including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma—as well as actinic keratoses, benign skin growths, acne, skin infections, and inflammatory skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis. He conducted his dermatology residency at the University of California, Davis Medical Center, where he was chief resident his final year. His internship in internal medicine was completed at UC Davis Medical Center, and he earned his medical degree from the UC Davis School of Medicine. He received his undergraduate degree in genetics from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology and the Sacramento Valley Dermatology Society.

EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Richard Blohm, M.D.

EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Dr. Blohm is a board-certified physician who specializes in emergency care. He currently serves as an assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine and California Northstate University College of Medicine. He practices at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center, where he is a member of the quality review committee. He also works one month per year at Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, as an attending emergency room physician. Dr. Blohm graduated from George Washington University School of Medicine and completed an internal medicine residency at UC Davis Medical Center. He completed his undergraduate degrees with honors at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine and licensed to practice in both California and Hawaii. 

Ariel Cohen, D.O.

EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Dr. Cohen is board certified in emergency medicine and additionally board certified in the subspecialty of pediatric emergency medicine. She has worked as an attending physician in the emergency departments of hospitals in Arizona, Nevada, and California, including at Rady Children’s Hospital, the only Level I pediatric trauma center in San Diego County. She has worked as a flight physician for Cleveland MetroHealth Life Flight, as a tactical medicine instructor for first responders, and as a ringside physician at mixed martial arts fights. She is currently a clinical assistant professor in pediatrics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and an attending physician at that city’s Sunrise Children’s Hospital and St. Rose Dominican Hospital. She also currently works at California hospitals. Dr. Cohen has taught and presented extensively on pediatric and emergency medicine issues and serves as an expert reviewer for the Osteopathic Medical Board of California and the Nevada State Board of Osteopathy Medicine. She is highly experienced in peer review. She completed a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore and her residency in emergency medicine at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic. She earned her doctor of osteopathy degree from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California, and a double undergraduate degree in biology and philosophy from Brown University. She is licensed in California, Arizona, and Nevada.

Dan Field, M.D., F.A.C.E.P.

EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Dr. Field has more than thirty years of experience in emergency medicine, treating injuries and illnesses such as stab wounds, gunshots, motor vehicle accident injuries, dog bites, broken bones, police use of force, and cardiovascular problems. Board-certified in emergency medicine, Dr. Field is also a member of the Faculty of Forensic & Legal Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians. He serves the Sacramento County Sheriff SED (SWAT) team as a medical control officer and is a reserve deputy sheriff. He has qualified as a medical expert witness in both civil and criminal courts, including in cases of domestic violence, strangulation, gunshot wounds, and homicide, as well as medical malpractice and cause of death analysis.

Dr. Field received his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco, did his internship at Highland Hospital in Oakland, California, and completed a residency in emergency medicine at University Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has a master’s of science degree in forensic science from Grand Canyon University and has worked as an expert reviewer for the California Medical Board since 2014.

ENDOCRINOLOGY

William Green Cushard, M.D.

ENDOCRINOLOGIST

 Dr. Cushard has board certifications in nuclear medicine, internal medicine, and endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. He has been in private practice in Sacramento, California, since 1971. He attended medical school at the University of Maryland and did his residency in metabolic diseases at the University of Pennsylvania and then a fellowship in endocrinology at Michael Reese Hospital, University of Chicago. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism, the subspecialty Board and the American Board of Nuclear Medicine. He is a clinical professor of medicine at both the University of California, Davis and California Northstate University College of Medicine. Dr. Cushard has been an editorial reviewer for Endocrine Practice 2003, 2006; Diabetes Care 2017 and has lectured on multiple endocrine topics at UC Davis. 

ENT

See Otolaryngology

FOOT and ANKLE

See Podiatry

GASTROENTEROLOGY

Kuldip Sandhu, M.D.

GASTROENTEROLOGIST

Dr. Sandhu is a board-certified physician in internal medicine and gastroenterology. He is an active medical staff member at Mercy San Juan Medical Center and Sutter Roseville Medical Center. He has been a clinical instructor in medicine at the University of Southern California School of Medicine and an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. He is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association, the American College of Gastroenterology, the California Medical Association, and the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society. Additionally, Dr. Sandhu has participated in and chaired numerous medical committees at Sacramento area hospitals and has been a significant part of the Sacramento Physicians Network. Dr. Sandhu received his Medical Degree from Punjabi University Medical School in Patiala, India, where he also completed an internship and residency. He then completed an internship and residency at MLK-Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, and a fellowship in gastroenterology at LAC-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. 

GENERAL SURGERY

Laura Machado, M.D.,  F.A.C.S., F.A.S.M.B.S.

GENERAL and BARIATRIC SURGEON

Dr. Machado is board certified by the American Board of Surgery. She is in private practice as a general and advanced laparoscopic surgeon in Carmichael, CA. She serves as medical director for bariatric services at Mercy San Juan Medical Center and on the hospital’s surgical executive committee. She is the recipient of multiple awards for surgical excellence and has presented and published numerous times on the subject of bariatric surgery. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons, and the Association of Women Surgeons. Dr. Machado received her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. She completed her residency at the University of California, Davis, where she was chosen as chief resident. She also completed a bariatric mini-fellowship at Montefiore University Medical Center’s Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery in Bronx, New York. 

Eric Morse, M.D.

GENERAL and TRAUMA SURGEON

 Dr. Morse is a general and trauma surgeon at Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael, California, where he has also served as chief of surgery and surgical department chair. He is also a clinical faculty member at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Morse is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and is certified by the American Board of Surgery. He holds special certifications in endoscopic cholecystectomy; laparoscopic herniorrhaphy; laparoscopic bowel and appendectomy; and advanced laparoscopic bowel/colon, rectal, and gastric procedures; and advanced trauma life support. Dr. Morse received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine. He completed both his internship and then his residency in general surgery at UC Davis Medical Center.

James M. Tatum, M.D.

GENERAL and TRAUMA SURGEON

Dr. Tatum is a board-certified general surgeon with an additional certification in surgical critical care. He is affiliated with multiple hospitals throughout Southern California, where he performs both general and trauma/acute care surgeries. He also is a licensed advanced trauma life support instructor and has published and lectured extensively on pre-hospital trauma care as well as both blunt and penetrating trauma. Dr. Tatum earned his medical degree from the University of Washington and completed his residency at the University of Southern California, where he also served as a thoracic research fellow. He went on to do additional fellowships in trauma/critical care at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and in minimally invasive surgery/esophageal surgery at USC. Prior to his medical education, Dr. Tatum earned a bachelor's degree from Oregon State University and worked as a wildland firefighter and wilderness ranger with the US Forest Service. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplant, Society of Graduate Surgeons at USC, the Los Angeles Medical Association, and the Society for the Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.

GERIATRICS/FAMILY MEDICINE

Eric C. Disbrow, M.D.

GERIATRICS/FAMILY PRACTITIONER

Dr. Disbrow is a board-certified family and geriatric physician who also has previous board certifications in emergency medicine and sports medicine. He spent many decades in private practice in Atwater, California, while also working as chief of emergency medical services at a local hospital. Among his many professional affiliations, Dr. Disbrow has served as an assistant clinical professor in family medicine at the University of California, Davis, where he developed post-graduate medical education programs for emergency room physicians. He also served as a community physician representative on the university’s Continuing Medical Education Advisory Committee. He is a member of the California Medical Association and American Academy of Family Physicians. He has been awarded numerous medical and community service honors.  He is an avid heli-skier and has worked as team physician for the Atwater High School football team. Dr. Disbrow received his medical degree from the Albany Medical College of Union University in Albany, New York. He completed his internship and residency at Sacramento Medical Center. 

HAND SURGERY

See Orthopedics or Plastic Surgery/Hand Specialist

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Peter R. Oftedahl, M.D.

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Dr. Oftedahl is board certified in internal medicine, and was previously also board certified in emergency medicine. Most recently, he participated in the 2020 set up and management of the Sleep Train Arena (Sacramento) Alternative Care Facility for the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to that, he worked at Kaiser Permanente in multiple roles, including as assistant chief of emergency medicine, chair of that department’s quality assurance committee, and assistant chief of occupational medicine. He began his career at the University of California, Davis, where he was an attending physician in the emergency department and internal medicine wards, and attending physician for Life Flight air ambulance. Dr. Oftedahl completed both his internship and residency at the University of California, Davis. He received his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and his undergraduate degree in medical microbiology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

LIFE CARE PLANNING 

Stephen Mann, M.D., C.L.C.P.

LIFE CARE PLANNER

In addition to thirty years’ experience in inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation medicine, Dr. Mann has performed more than one hundred independent medical examinations for both plaintiff and defense counsel, including cases of medical malpractice and catastrophic injury. Dr. Mann is a featured speaker at the annual International Symposium for Life Care Planning, and presents to plaintiff and defense counsel organizations when requested. Dr. Mann completed the University of Florida Life Care Planning curriculum and became a certified life care planner in 2012. Dr. Mann is board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and is licensed to practice medicine in Arizona, Nevada, and California. He is a volunteer physician at the Northern Arizona Veterans Administration in Prescott, Arizona. He also sees patients in the spinal cord clinic at the Prescott VA facility. 

Daniel Neudorf, D.O.

LIFE CARE PLANNER

Dr. Neudorf is a practicing physician with dual board certifications in physical medicine and rehabilitation as well as brain injury medicine. He spent the first decade of his career at University of California, Davis Health, where he was associate medical director of the Rehabilitation Hospital, instructor of record for the Medical Student Clerkship, and the director of Cancer Rehabilitation Consultation. He currently practices medicine in Santa Cruz, with an emphasis on neuro-rehabilitation and musculoskeletal care. Additionally, Dr. Neudorf is a Certified Life Care Planner, and a Qualified Medical Evaluator for the State of California. Dr. Neudorf completed both his residency in PM&R and internship at the UC Davis Medical Center. He earned his doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He also has a master’s degree in biomedical sciences from Colorado State University and a bachelor's degree in evolution, ecology and biodiversity from UC Davis. 

LUNG

See Pulmonary Medicine

MEDICAL AND HOSPITAL BILL AUDITING

Stephanie Engler, R.N., M.S.N.E.D., C.L.C.P., L.C.N

AUDITING

Ms. Engler is a registered nurse and past medical billing evaluation expert who is able to evaluate, analyze, and render informed opinions about the reasonable value of past medical care. She also can provide opinions on future medical issues and costs as they relate to litigation and future health care needs. She is also a certified life care planner with a master of science in nursing education and twenty years experience in acute patient care, ten years of collegiate teaching experience, and nine years of past medical billing and life care planning testifying expertise. Ms. Engler has clinical expertise in home health nursing, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and stroke rehabilitation, adult cardiac intensive care, solid organ and bone marrow transplant pre-and post-care management, as well as extensive experience in disease management across the lifespan. Her clinical and collegiate teaching experience is in the fields of acute and chronic outpatient and inpatient care, cardiac care, critical care, pharmacology and clinical simulation. She is a member of the American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners, American Association of Professional Coders, American Nurses Association, and the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals.

Karen Preston, P.H.N., M.S., C.R.R.N., F.I.A.L.C.P., F.A.R.N.

AUDITING

Ms. Preston has more than thirty years of experience in health care cost analysis, direct patient care, and Life Care Planning. She is a fellow of Association of Rehabilitation Nurses and of the International Academy of Life Care Planners. She has a master of science-nursing from Arizona State University, and is both a public health nurse and a certified registered rehabilitation nurse. She serves as an adjunct professor at Samuel Merritt University in Oakland and Sacramento and previously worked as an instructor at California State University, Sacramento. She is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from Foundation for Life Care Planning Research.

METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING

Charles Raggio, P.E.

METALLURGICAL ENGINEER

Mr. Raggio is a licensed metallurgical engineer in the state of California. He earned his bachelor of science degree in metallurgical engineering from California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo. His professional career began with Bechtel Corporation, working in the welding and non-destructive testing disciplines in the energy field. He subsequently moved into the orthopedic implant field and now has more than forty years of experience in the design, manufacturing, sales, and marketing of orthopedic implants. His work in orthopedics includes a patent for bone in-growth surfaces; initial designs of the first custom titanium “Trim-Flange” hemispherical pelvic replacement; and the development of the first forged titanium alloy hip stem marketed in the United States. He has extensive experience in the custom orthopedic implant market, having personally designed more than two thousand custom implants for hip, knee, and shoulder. He is the principal engineer at Raggio Metallurgical Group, providing consulting and failure-analysis services to a variety of industries. 

NEPHROLOGY

Prince Singh, M.B.B.S.

NEPHROLOGIST

Dr. Singh is board certified in internal medicine with a subspecialty in nephrology. He fellowship trained at both the Mayo Clinic and Duke University and is experienced in all aspects of kidney disease and care, including kidney and pancreas transplantation, and onco-nephrology. He is the author of numerous publications on the topics of kidney diseases, cancers and transplants and has presented at conferences throughout the United States. He earned excellence in teaching awards at St. Martinus University in Curacao and at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Dr. Singh served as a clinical fellow at Duke University Health System in Durham, N.C., where he trained in transplant nephrology. Prior to that, he completed his nephrology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, M.N., where he also earlier served as a research fellow working on and leading the Aging Kidney Anatomy Project and the Rochester Epidemiology Project. He completed his residency at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. He earned his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree (M.B.B.S.) at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital in Patna, Bihar, India. He is a member of the American Society of Nephrology, the Renal Physician Association, the American Society of Transplantation, and the Catholic Medical Association.

NEUROLOGY

Barry M. Czeisler, M.D., M.S., M.H.P.E., F.A.A.N.

NEUROLOGIST

Dr. Czeisler is a neurointensivist and neurologist in active clinical practice. He is board certified in both neurocritical care and adult neurology. He provides comprehensive neurological and critical care services to patients with acute brain, spinal cord and/or nerve injury. He also has extensive experience in the management of disorders, including acute ischemic stroke, subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhage, subdural hematoma, traumatic brain injury, hypoxic-ischemic (anoxic) brain injury, encephalopathy, status epilepticus, neurotoxicology, Guillain-Barre syndrome, myasthenic crisis, meningitis, encephalitis, and perioperative complications of neurosurgical procedures. He serves as adjunct assistant professor of neurology and neurosurgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and previously served there as assistant professor of neurology and neurosurgery, during which time he provided clinical neurocritical care at NYU Langone Health—Tisch Hospital. He has won several awards for teaching excellence, both at NYU and nationally. He currently practices in Southern California. Dr. Czeisler completed his fellowship in neurocritical care and his residency in neurology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital—Columbia. His medical internship in internal medicine was also conducted at New York-Presbyterian Hospital—Columbia. He has an MHPE from Maastricht University in The Netherlands. He received his medical degree and a master’s degree in applied anatomy from case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. His undergraduate degrees in biology and anthropology are from Washington University in St. Louis. He is an active member and fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, and a member of the Neurocritical Care Society, the Society of Critical Care Medicine, and the American Medical Association.

Sandra Shefrin, M.D.

NEUROLOGIST

Dr. Shefrin is board certified in both neurology and internal medicine. She has been practicing neurology and working as an expert medical witness in the Bay Area for more than twenty-five years. She was an attending neurologist at the University of California, San Francisco-Mt. Zion Hospital for fifteen years. She has practiced in Marin County since 2006 and was previously chief of the Department of Neurology at Marin General Hospital. She has extensive experience in evaluating and managing the full range of neurological conditions, including but not limited to head and neck injuries, traumatic brain injuries, whiplash, headache, back pain, dizziness, cognitive decline, memory loss, seizures, PTSD, neuropathies, strokes, tumors, and multiple sclerosis. She is also an expert in Parkinson’s Disease and movement disorders. Dr. Shefrin completed her neurology residency at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. She also completed an internal medicine residency at McGill University. Currently, she is in private practice and is a consulting neurologist at Marin General Hospital (Marin Health). 

Additional Neurologists Available

MRK has additional neurologists available, including an expert in neurocritical care, traumatic brain injury, and stroke who has recently worked on the neurological manifestations of Covid-19. Please call the office at (916) 863-7301 for more information.  

NEUROPSYCHOLOGY


Kimberly M. Miller, Ph.D., A.B.P.P.-C.N.

NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST

Dr. Kimberly Miller, PhD, ABPP-CN is board-certified neuropsychologist with specialized clinical experience in acquired brain injury in both adults and children. She is an associate clinical professor at the UC Davis School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, and a former assistant professor at UC Berkeley, Department of Clinical Sciences. She serves as an expert consultant to the California Board of Psychology as well as to Shriners Hospitals for Children, Northern California. Prior to going into private practice in Sacramento, California, Dr. Miller worked with veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at the Department of Veterans Affairs and served as associate training director in neuropsychology for VA Northern California Health Care System. Dr. Miller previously worked with patients with acute TBI in the neuroscience intensive care unit and acute rehabilitation unit at John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek. A Bay Area native, Dr. Miller earned her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley. She completed her doctoral degree and internship in clinical psychology, with a specialization in neuropsychology, at the University of Florida. She completed her fellowship in neuropsychology at VA Northern California Health Care System.  

Amir Ramezani, Ph.D.

NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST

Dr. Ramezani specializes in neuropsychology, pain psychology, and forensic evaluations,  for both adults and children. He is a multi-award-winning clinician who has authored more than eighty publications, book chapters, and scientific presentations/workshops. He has expertise in many medico-legal areas, including brain injury, brain development, malingering, memory, PTSD, pain, and psychological function in the context of civil, personal injury and criminal cases. His commitment to advancing multi-disciplinary collaboration includes previously serving as training director of the University of California, Davis, Neuropsychology and Health Psychology Training Program; founding chair of the SVPA Behavioral Medicine and Neuropsychology; faculty advisor to a forensic education group; and president of a neuroscience and tech organization. In his clinical professor and associate professor roles, he taught medical, psychology and law students as well as professionals in those fields. Dr. Ramezani’s clinical training includes a fellowship in neuropsychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, a fellowship focusing on pain psychology at the University of California, San Francisco, and a dual Ph.D. in clinical health psychology and behavioral medicine from the University of North Texas. He received his BA in psychology from California State University, Fullerton.

John J. Wicks, Ph.D.

NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST

Dr. Wicks is a board-certified forensic neuropsychologist with more than forty years of experience in neuropsychology, rehabilitation, and forensic psychology. He spent a decade as chief of psychology, social work, and vocational counseling at the University of California, Davis Medical Center’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, where he also taught medical school courses and resident training programs. He also has served as psychological director for the Medical Center’s pain clinic and as director of psychology at a transitional living center and post-acute rehab program for cerebrally impaired patients. He has worked as a consulting psychologist with the Veterans Administration and with the California Department of Corrections in its Board of Parole Hearings, Forensic Assessment Division. Dr. Wicks received his Ph.D in medical/clinical psychology from Universities of California in Davis and Berkeley, and he completed a post-doctoral internship at the UC Davis Medical School in the departments of physical medicine and rehabilitation, psychiatry, and clinical psychology. He has a master’s degree in psychology from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and a bachelor’s of psychology from the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis. He is currently in private practice in the Sacramento area.

NEUROSURGERY


Jeffrey M. Epstein, M.D.

NEUROSURGEON

Dr. Epstein is a neurosurgeon with decades of experience in treating and evaluating spine disorders. He also has extensive experience in pain management injection therapies and spinal cord stimulation. He has lectured nationally and internationally on the subject of spinal cord stimulation. He is certified by the American Academy of Procedural Medicine, and is a diplomat of both the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgery and the Academy of Integrative Pain Management. Dr. Epstein completed his neurosurgical residency at State University of New York—Brooklyn and Kings County Hospital Center, where he was chief resident. He did his surgical internship at Muhlenberg Hospital Medical Center in Plainfield, N.J. and the Fifth Pathway (Channel) Program at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, N.J. He earned his medical degree from Autonomous University of Guadalajara and his undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University. He is licensed in New York, Colorado, and Florida, and currently practices in Babylon, N.Y.

Paul Kaloostian, M.D., F.A.A.N.S., F.A.C.S.

NEUROSURGEON

Dr. Kaloostian is a board-certified neurosurgeon practicing in the Los Angeles area. He specializes in minimally invasive spinal surgery, spinal oncology, and cranial and spinal trauma. He is a prolific researcher and scientist, authoring more than seventy peer-reviewed manuscripts, one hundred book chapters, and twelve peer-reviewed scientific textbooks. Dr. Kaloostian received his medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He completed his neurosurgical residency at the University of New Mexico Medical Center, where he served as chief neurosurgical resident. He then completed a complex spine and spinal oncology instructorship and fellowship at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center. He has served as an assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of California, Riverside, and is now in private practice. He is a fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons, and a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the American Medical Association. 

Kamran Sahrakar, M.D., F.A.A.N.S., F.A.C.S.

NEUROSURGEON

Dr. Sahrakar is a board-certified neurosurgeon who has served as assistant chief of the Department of Neurosurgery and co-chief of radiosurgery at Kaiser Permanente, where he also served on the faculty. He received his medical degree from the University of Nevada School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of California, Davis. He then served as chief neurosurgical resident at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Sahrakar is currently on the clinical faculty of both UC Davis and the University of California, San Francisco. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and is active in the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society, American College of Surgeons, Society for Neuro-Oncology, and the American Association of Medical Acupuncture. Dr. Sahrakar is licensed to practice in California and Nevada. 

OBSTETRICS/GYNECOLOGY

Timothy E. Phelan, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.

OBSTETRICIAN and GYNECOLOGIST

Dr. Phelan is a board-certified specialist in obstetrics and gynecology who has practiced the specialty for more than twenty-five years. He is on staff at Mercy Hospital of Folsom and serves as an assistant clinical professor at California Northstate University. He has served as chair of the OB/GYN Department at Mercy Hospital of Folsom and as president of the Northern California OB/GYN Society. He is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Phelan received his medical degree from Oregon Health Sciences University and completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Rochester. 

OPHTHALMOLOGY

Robert D. Bellinoff, M.D.

OPHTHALMOLOGIST

Dr. Bellinoff is a board-certified ophthalmologist with thirty-five years of experience with eye surgery and the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. He serves as division lead for the department of ophthalmology at Mercy Medical Group in Sacramento, as well as site director for Midtown medical and surgical specialties. He has diverse experience in administrative roles, including serving on the board of directors of Mercy Medical Group, and played a key role in developing the ophthalmology service for an ambulatory surgery center. He has been a peer reviewer and is an expert consultant for the Medical Board of California. Dr. Bellinoff completed his ophthalmology residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center, and a residency in family practice at Merced Community Medical Center. His internship was with the University of California, Davis Medical Center. He earned his medical degree from Loma Linda University, a master of science from Arizona State University, and his bachelor degree from Biola College in La Mirada, California.

OTOLARYNGOLOGY

Michael Joseph Kearns, M.D.,   F.A.C.S.

OTOLARYNGOLOGIST and HEAD/NECK SURGEON

Dr. Kearns specializes in head and neck surgery and is affiliated with Sacramento ENT, Inc., in Sacramento, California. He is a qualified medical examiner for the State of California Industrial Medical Council and diplomate for both the National Board of Medical Examiners and the American Board of Otolaryngology. He is board certified in otolaryngology—head and neck surgery. Dr. Kearns is a fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery as well as the American College of Surgeons. He is a member of many professional societies including the California and Sacramento Societies of Otolaryngology, California Medical Association, and Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society. Dr. Kearns received his medical degree from the University of California, Irvine, and served as chief resident for the University of California, San Diego’s Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery.   

Deanne Nyland, M.D.

OTOLARYNGOLOGIST and HEAD/NECK SURGEON

Deanne Nyland (nee Roberts) is chair of the Division of Otolaryngology at Mercy San Juan Medical Center. She grew up in Seattle. She attended Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, majoring in chemistry and dance. She then attended Vanderbilt University for medical school before continuing on to do her residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the University of Kentucky. 

PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Ariel Cohen, D.O.

PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Dr. Cohen is board certified in emergency medicine and additionally board certified in the subspecialty of pediatric emergency medicine. She has worked as an attending physician in the emergency departments of hospitals in Arizona, Nevada, and California, including at Rady Children’s Hospital, the only Level I pediatric trauma center in San Diego County. She has worked as a flight physician for Cleveland MetroHealth Life Flight, as a tactical medicine instructor for first responders, and as a ringside physician at mixed martial arts fights. She is currently a clinical assistant professor in pediatrics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and an attending physician at that city’s Sunrise Children’s Hospital and St. Rose Dominican Hospital. She also currently works at California hospitals. Dr. Cohen has taught and presented extensively on pediatric and emergency medicine issues and serves as an expert reviewer for the Osteopathic Medical Board of California and the Nevada State Board of Osteopathy Medicine. She is highly experienced in peer review. She completed a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore and her residency in emergency medicine at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic. She earned her doctor of osteopathy degree from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California, and a double undergraduate degree in biology and philosophy from Brown University. She is licensed in California, Arizona, and Nevada.

PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION

Stephen L. Mann, M.D., C.L.C.P.

PHYSICAL MEDICINE and REHABILITATION SPECIALIST

Dr. Mann is a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician and a certified fife care planner. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and completed his internships and residency at the University of California, Davis. He currently is a physician for the Northern Arizona VA Health Care System and a medical consultant for the Arizona Medical Board. He is on the clinical faculty of Northern Arizona University’s Department of Physical Therapy.

Daniel Neudorf, D.O.

PHYSICAL MEDICINE and REHABILITATION SPECIALIST

Dr. Neudorf is a practicing physician with dual board certifications in physical medicine and rehabilitation as well as brain injury medicine. He spent the first decade of his career at University of California, Davis Health, where he was associate medical director of the Rehabilitation Hospital, instructor of record for the Medical Student Clerkship, and the director of Cancer Rehabilitation Consultation. He currently practices medicine in Santa Cruz, with an emphasis on neuro-rehabilitation and musculoskeletal care. Additionally, Dr. Neudorf is a Certified Life Care Planner, and a Qualified Medical Evaluator for the State of California. Dr. Neudorf completed both his residency in PM&R and internship at the UC Davis Medical Center. He earned his doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He also has a master’s degree in biomedical sciences from Colorado State University and a bachelor's degree in evolution, ecology and biodiversity from UC Davis.

Robert A. Schulman, M.D. 

PHYSICAL MEDICINE and REHABILITATION/CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT 

Dr. Schulman is a leading practitioner in the field of chronic pain management with expertise and training in integrative pain medicine, as well as acupuncture, massage, Chinese herbal medicine, and regenerative medicine. In addition to holding board certification in physical medicine and rehabilitation, he is board certified in pain medicine, integrative medicine, and medical acupuncture. He is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the American Academy of Pain Management, the American Board of Medical Acupuncture, the American Board of Integrative Medicine, the Institute of Functional Medicine, and the American Association of Orthopedic Medicine. He also is a registered herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild. He has served as a clinical assistant professor at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and as an assistant attending physiatrist at New York Cornell Medical Center. He is the author of numerous research publications, book chapters, and the book Solve It With Supplements. Dr. Schulman completed his medical internship at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut and his residency training in PM&R at The New York Hospital/Weill-Cornell University Medical Center in New York City. He received his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He is now in private practice in Santa Rosa, California. 

PHYSICAL THERAPY 

William R. Thompson, P.T., D.P.T., Ph.D.

DOCTOR of PHYSICAL THERAPY 

Dr. Thompson is doctor of physical therapy with a Ph.D. in biomechanics and movement science. He has been a practicing physical therapist since 2007. He is currently is an associate professor at Indiana University in Indianapolis, where he teaches and leads an extramurally funded research lab. He continues to work in both inpatient and outpatient settings and has extensive experience with geriatric populations and with individuals with neurological, orthopedic, and trauma-related conditions. Dr. Thompson has published more than 37 peer-reviewed manuscripts and several book chapters. He has received numerous national and international awards for contributions to the field of physical therapy and bone biology. His research examines the mechanisms by which bone adapts to exercise and mechanical forces, which have important clinical implications for overall bone health and fractures. Dr. Thompson received both his DPT degree and his Ph.D. from the University of Delaware. He then completed a post-doctoral fellowships in biological sciences at the University of Delaware and in endocrinology (mechanical signaling in bone) at UNC-Chapel Hill. 

PLASTIC SURGERY

Jason Solomon, M.D.

PLASTIC and RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGEON

Dr. Solomon is board certified in both plastic and reconstructive surgery and otolaryngology, head and neck surgery. He has practiced in the Sacramento area for more than thirty years. He is an active member of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as well as the Lipoplasty Society of North America. Dr. Solomon also belongs to the Sacramento Society of Plastic Surgery, where he has served as president. He also is a member of the Sacramento-El Dorado Medical Society. He spent more than ten years as chief of plastic surgery at Mercy San Juan Hospital in Carmichael, California. Dr. Solomon graduated from Temple University Medical School and did his surgery and plastic surgery training at the University of Chicago and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He also worked as chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery at McGuire Veterans Administration Hospital in Richmond, Virginia; as director of the Center of Facial Plastic Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia; and as assistant chief of facial plastic surgery and otolaryngology at the VA Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. 

Clifford Pereira, M.D., F.A.C.S, F.R.C.S.

PLASTIC SURGEON and HAND SURGERY SPECIALIST

Dr. Pereira is board-certified in surgery, surgery of the hand, and plastic surgery. He is a professor of surgery at the University of California, Davis Medical Center's Division of Plastic Surgery/Hand Surgery and previously was an affiliate assistant professor of plastic surgery at Stanford Medical Center and an attending physician at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. He can evaluate burn injuries and reconstructions, as well as scars from any cause, anywhere on the body.  He can evaluate burn injuries and reconstructions, as well as scars from any cause, anywhere on the body. He is able to evaluate any trauma to the hand as well as peripheral nerve injuries that occur to any extremity as a result of motor vehicle accidents, falls, and industrial or agricultural crush injuries. Dr. Pereira's research at UC Davis involves looking at novel surgical techniques to improve function after these devastating injuries. He also works with brachial plexus injuries, neuromas, and lower extremity free flap reconstructions and can opine on these types of cases as well. He is the author of numerous articles and book chapters and has presented at medical conferences throughout the United States and in Europe. He has received multiple awards and honors, including from the Mayo Clinic Microsurgery Reconstructive Course. He is a member of the American Society for Peripheral Nerve and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Dr. Pereira completed his residencies in general surgery and plastic surgery, as well as a fellowship in hand and microsurgery, at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has an FRCS from the Royal College of Surgeons of both England and Edinburgh (UK), and received his medical degree from M.S. University in Baroda, India. 

PODIATRY

Stephen Medawar, D.P.M.

SURGICAL PODIATRIST

Dr. Medawar is a board-certified surgical podiatrist who practiced in the Sacramento area for more than thirty-five years. He has served as an associate clinical professor at the University of California, Davis, and as chairman of the Mercy San Juan Medical Center Department of Podiatric Surgery. Dr. Medawar completed his undergraduate degree at the University of California, Davis, and his D.P.M. at the California College of Podiatric Medicine in San Francisco, California. He is a member of American Podiatric Medical Association and a past president of the Sacramento Valley Podiatric Medical Association.

Gavin P. Ripp, D.P.M.

SURGICAL PODIATRIST

Dr. Ripp is a board-certified surgical podiatrist with special interests in reconstructive surgery of the lower extremities, sports medicine, and pediatrics. He has trained in traumatology and total ankle replacements. Dr. Ripp received his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University, and his D.P.M. at Des Moines University and then went on to a rigorous surgical residency program at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, one of the top programs in the United States. During that time, he worked with top surgeons in both the podiatric and orthopedic communities. He is a member of the American Podiatric Medical Association and the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.  

PULMONARY MEDICINE

Peter Murphy, M.D., M.R.C.P., F.C.C.P., B.Sc.

PULMONOLOGIST

Dr. Murphy is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, with subspecialties in pulmonary disease and critical care. He has been in private practice in Carmichael, California, since 1977 and is currently a clinical professor and assistant dean, chair of the Internal Medicine Department at California Northstate University College of Medicine in Elk Grove, California. He is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and is the recipient of numerous honors and awards. He has served at various times as president of the medical staff, medical director of the trauma unit, and director of the intensive care unit at Mercy San Juan Medical Center. He has also worked as a qualified medical examiner. Dr. Murphy completed his residency at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, New York, and a fellowship in pulmonary disease at State University of New York at Buffalo. He received his medical degree from University College of Dublin, Ireland. 

RADIOLOGY/NEURORADIOLOGY

MRK has board-certified experts in both radiology and neuroradiology available. They include physicians qualified in trauma and emergency radiology and cross-sectional imaging; and the neuroradiology areas of head/neck and spine. Please call the office for more information at (916) 863-7301. 


THORACIC SURGERY

Stephen Maxwell, M.D., F.C.C.P.

THORACIC SURGEON

Dr. Maxwell is board-certified in surgery and thoracic surgery and practices at hospitals throughout the Sacramento area. He is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and an associate fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Maxwell is a graduate of the University of Missouri, Columbia School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at Baylor University Medical Center and a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Case Western Reserve University. He is licensed to practice medicine in California, Hawaii, and Ohio. His interests are thoracic oncology, general thoracic surgery including esophageal, pulmonary, mediastinal and diaphragmatic surgery, and minimally invasive surgery including fluoroscopic and thoracoscopic surgery. 

TRAUMA SURGERY

James M. Tatum, M.D.

TRAUMA and ACUTE CARE GENERAL SURGEON

Dr. Tatum is a board-certified general surgeon with an additional certification in surgical critical care. He is affiliated with multiple hospitals throughout Southern California, where he performs both general and trauma/acute care surgeries. He also is a licensed advanced trauma life support instructor and has published and lectured extensively on pre-hospital trauma care as well as both blunt and penetrating trauma. Dr. Tatum earned his medical degree from the University of Washington and completed his residency at the University of Southern California, where he also served as a thoracic research fellow. He went on to do additional fellowships in trauma/critical care at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and in minimally invasive surgery/esophageal surgery at USC. Prior to his medical education, Dr. Tatum earned a bachelor's degree from Oregon State University and worked as a wildland firefighter and wilderness ranger with the US Forest Service. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplant, Society of Graduate Surgeons at USC, the Los Angeles Medical Association, and the Society for the Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.

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