Physician Profiles - Primary Care

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Dr DeNicola has cared for patients in Orange County for over 20 years, and is most proud of the many babies he delivered during that period.

What you might not know about Dr. DeNicola:

• Married, with three sons
• Owns a classic 1955 Chevy Belair
• Loves Dodger baseball and has a complete bobble-head collection
• Lists the soundtrack to "Fantasia" as one of his favorite musical pieces
• Favorite Orange County restaurant is Pinot Provence

Advice to his patients:

• Cherish your health

Biggest challenge in healthcare:

• Working through the obstacles that will accompany health care reform

Education & Training:

• Received his BS, cum laude, from Creighton University
• Completed medical school at Creighton University
• Completed his internship and residency at Northridge Hospital (UCLA School of Medicine)
• Board Certified, Family Practice
• Fellow, American Academy of Family Physicians
• Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California, Irvine

Dr. Penkoff provides general medical care to patients of all ages, from adolescents to geriatrics.

What you might not know about Dr. Penkoff:

• Native Californian
• Referees soccer games
• Enjoys woodworking
• Recipient of the Hagadorn Award for 1996, 1998 and 2001
• Has provided medical services in and around Sarajevo, Bosnia through outreach programs

Advice to his patients:

• Daily exercise, a healthful diet, and vitamin supplements are all vital to good health.

Biggest challenge in healthcare:

• Continuing to provide excellent health care in a tumultuous economic climate.

Education & Training:

• Received his undergraduate degree at California State University, Fullerton, earning a B.A. in Biology
• Completed medical school at University of Southern California
• Completed his internship and residency at University of Southern California
• Board Certified, Family Practice
• Fellow, American Academy of Family Physicians

Dr. Buckhorn is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, and provides care to adults and seniors. He cites the good relationships with his patients as his greatest career achievement.

What you might not know about Dr. Buckhorn:

• Though not a "techie," does enjoy Playstation2 and Wii
• Favorite restaurant is The Cellar
• Has three children
• Has a menagerie of pets: dog, cat, fish and birds

Advice to his patients:

• Stay healthy!

Biggest challenge in healthcare:

• Physicians’ ability to retain autonomy

Education & Training:

• Received his undergraduate degree in biochemistry at University of California, Berkeley
• Completed medical school at University of California, San Francisco
• Completed his internship and residency at UCLA
• Board Certified, Internal Medicine

Xandi enjoys making a difference in the lives of the patients by the standard and style of health care she provides. She believes in spending quality time with patients, educating them in the maintenance and promotion of their own health.

What you might not know about Xandi:

• Owns a 14-year old chocolate Labrador retriever named Rika
• Supports the LA Lakers as her favorite sports team
• Enjoys a range of music, from pop to jazz, to hard rock
• Considers herself "techie challenged," only recently learned to operate her digital camera and hands-free phone device
• Loves to eat out and try new restaurants; her favorite type of food is Italian
• Latest good book read is Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts

Advice to her patients:

• Be your own health advocate: read and ask questions

Biggest challenge facing physicians in the next five years?

• The ability to continue to provide quality patient care, affordably and efficiently, in the face of our changing economy.
• Overall health status as a population.

Education & Training:

• She completed her degree in microbiology from University of California at Riverside
• Completed medical school at Western University of Health Sciences
• Attained Board Certification in both Family Practice and General Surgery from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
• Licensed by the Physician Assistant Examining Committee (CA)
• Licensed by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (federal)
• Certified for Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

Physician Profiles - Pediatrics

Azza Ayad, M.D. | Gilbert Gonzales, M.D. | Sheila Ponzio, M.D. | Amanda Irish, NP- Pediatrics & Family Practice

Dr. Ayad has been caring for children in Southern California since 1990, and is proud to have worked with the same medical group for 11 years.

What you might not know about Dr. Ayad:

• Resides in Orange County
• Owns a dog- Pit bull / Labrador retriever mix
• Loves to read; latest favorite book was The Appeal by Michael Grisham
• Fan of the LA Lakers, the OC Ducks, and the LA Angels sports teams
• Shies away from trendy tech gadgets such as an MP3 player and The Wii
• Uses a Windows-based PC

Advice to her patients:

• Read! Read! Read!
• Eat healthful food
• Play a sport
• Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night

Thoughts on healthcare:

• Concerned that fewer students are entering medical school
• Challenges in access to health insurance in a volatile economy

Education & Training:

• Completed medical school at the Alexandria University School of Medicine
• Completed both her internship and residency at Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Dr. Gonzales has been caring for children since graduating from the UCLA School of Medicine in 1989, and is a native Californian.

What you might not know about Dr. Gonzales:

• Goes by the nickname, "Dr. G"
• Owns three dogs
• Enjoys listening to music by The Beatles and Stevie Wonder on his iPod
• Likes to read controversial books and non-fiction, though notes that Harry Potter and the Deathly Harrows, as his favorite recent fiction book
• Is a Lakers fan

Advice to his patients:

• Be careful in selecting your sources for medical information
• Never rely on one source for healthcare information

The biggest challenges for physicians in the next five years:

• Distilling all of the opinions, discoveries and new technology into the best and most cost-effective, evidence-based care for one’s patients.

Education & Training:

• Completed his undergraduate studies at Stanford University in 1985
• Graduated from the UCLA School of Medicine
• Completed his pediatric residency at Martin Luther King / Drew Medical Center

Dr. Ponzio has been caring for children in Southern California since 1992, and her general pediatric practice includes hospital attendance at high-risk deliveries and general newborn care.

What you might not know about Dr. Ponzio:

• Born and raised in North Dakota
• Member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
• Favorite techie gadget is her DVR
• Loves Angels baseball
• Enjoys listening to Aretha Franklin & U2
• Favorite restaurant in Orange County is Zov’s (Tustin)

Advice to her patients:

• Take responsibility for your health
• Eat less, move more

Biggest challenge in healthcare:

• The battle against obesity

Education & Training:

• Received her BS in Biology, with Honors, from North Dakota State University
• Completed medical school at University of North Dakota
• Completed her internships and residencies at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
• Former Chief Pediatric Resident at Cedars Sinai Medical Center

Mandy is most proud of the many years experience as a nurse that she brings to her individual patient encounters.

What you might not know about Mandy:

• Currently listening to "No Doubt" on her iPod
• Is a fan of the Angels baseball team
• Lists Roy's, Newport Beach as her favorite restaurant
• Names her laptop as her favorite techie toy
• Cites The Memory Keeper’s Daughter as a recent good read

Advice to her patients:

• Ask questions.
• Play an active role in your healthcare!

Education & Training:

• Graduated California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor of Science, Nursing
• Completed graduate school at University of California, Irvine (FNP)
• Board Certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner