Shoshana Ungerleider, MD: SFMS April 2015 Member of the Month May 6, 2015 Member of the Month, SFMS Member Member of the Month, SFMS Member, Shoshana Ungerleider 0 Shoshana is originally from Eugene, Oregon. She attended college at the University of Oregon and then worked for several years at Duke University. She returned to medical school at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. She has lived in the Bay area since 2010 and completed her residency training in internal medicine at California Pacific Medical Center. She currently works as a hospitalist at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering with local non-profits. Shoshana serves on the Board of Directors of Room That Rock 4 Chemo, a local non-profit that renovates chemo treatment rooms using 100% volunteer support. She is also on the Young Professional's Advisory Council at Family House, a facility that serves as a home away from home for families of children with cancer and other life-threatening illness. Shoshana is also a member of the CPMC Board of Trustees and serves on their Community Mission Leadership Council. Click here to view Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider's practice information. Why are you a SFMS member? I joined SFMS after I completed residency because I wanted to stay connected to a community of other physicians practicing in San Francisco. So far, I have really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with fellow physicians from other specialties. In addition, I wanted to be involved with legislative advocacy through the CMA House of Delegates on key issues affecting my practice and the care of my patients. Which SFMS member resource is most helpful to you? As a resident, the SFMS-sponsored career fair was incredibly helpful for me in securing a position as a hospitalist. With limited free time, this was an excellent way for me to meet with a number of potential employers in one place. What do you like to do when you’re not at work? I enjoy traveling, exercising by spinning and Pilates, trying new restaurants around SF and spending time with my family. What is the most important thing you learned in medical school or residency? Modern medicine has a myriad of therapies and advanced technology to keep patients alive using monitors and machines. Instead of having a difficult conversation, quite often we default to using all of these therapies without considering the context of our patient and their overall health. The most important thing I learned in residency is that an open, honest conversation with an ill patient and their family can be the single most important thing I can do for them. We have the ability to work together and create a treatment plan that fits their goals and values; recognizing that quality of life is often more important than quantity. What are some of the biggest opportunities or challenges you see in health care within the next five year? We have an aging US population who will increasingly utilize healthcare services throughout the rest of their lives. Physicians must find the time to have important end of life conversations with their patients including advanced care planning. We must continue to advocate for provider reimbursement for this essential part of care. In addition, medical education has to adapt and train our medical students and residents about to effectively communicate with patients, including these difficult conversations around end of life. After completing residency, I helped to start a comprehensive palliative care education program for the internal medicine residents at CPMC which focuses on improving communication with patients, resident wellness and reflection as well as a foundation of knowledge in palliative medicine. What do you love most about being a hospitalist? As a hospitalist, I enjoy meeting new patients each day and the challenge of making a new diagnosis when I am admitting someone to the hospital. What is your favorite restaurant in San Francisco? Lazy Bear in the Mission. If you weren't a physician, what profession would you like to try? I love to sing, so maybe I would attempt a career as a singer. Comments are closed.
