Jose Morales, MD, MPH

Bio

I have now been a proud physician at Kaiser Permanente since 1997. I am a licensed, board certified Pediatrician serving the greater community of Sonoma County. This service includes health care, community involvement and teaching.

A Pediatrician is a doctor who specializes in infant, child and teen wellness. I say "wellness" because our goal is to see all our 18-year-old's graduate from high school, go to college, and live happy independent lives! I'm proud to say I have seen many do exactly this!

The profession has been an easy match. I have always been inspired to give 110% to the cause of helping children. There is nothing more rewarding for me than to see an ill child recover or see a young family grow in confidence.

I have always known that I wanted to work for Kaiser Permanente. This organization is truly on the cutting edge of innovation and I have had the freedom to practice medicine in a way I see most fit.

Currently my professional interests have led me to work on injury prevention with the Public Health Department, volunteer time at the Roseland Children's Health Clinic, teach medical students from UCSF and attend various hospital related committees. This is all in addition to the most important part of my job: you and your family!!

Finally, a little bit about me. I was born in Miami, Florida and am a lifetime fan of the Dolphins. My wife was born in Hong Kong, China. We have two wonderful girls who are in school. We travel, bike, camp, and visit San Francisco. However, our most enjoyable family activity is just being together!

My Medical Specialty

More details about my specialty:

Pediatrics is a specialty that focuses on children's Health. This includes care for teenagers, school age children, newborn infants, premature infants, hospitalized children and family issues. There are also subspecialists in all fields like Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Cardiology, etc. I practice both general pediatrics and hospital based care.

My specialty interests and affiliations within my field:

I am a proud member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Sonoma County Medical Association, and the California Medical Association. I am also an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCSF. My interests include Teaching, Public health, and Hospital care.

Current projects or research:

Current projects include running our Reach-Out-And-Read program, volunteer care at Roseland Children's Clinic, and running emergency care drills to ensure we are all prepared.

Great health resources that I refer to:

Anything by T. Berry Brazelton
What to Expect the First Year
Raising your Spirited Child
All Kinds of Minds
Love and Anger
www.aap.org
www.vaccine.org
reachoutandread.org
allkindsofminds.org

An interesting story from my training:

UCSF was an exciting place to train as a pediatrician. Their hospital's Intensive Care Nursery is located on the top floor and the views are spectacular! On busy 24-hour shifts I could always look out the window for 10 seconds, take a deep breath, and have a mini-mini-vacation! Afterwards, I was good to go for another 24 hours.

Interests

Currently reading:
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, This Old House Magazine, and Money Magazine

My favorite book or author:
J.K. Rowling and C.S. Lewis

Great movie:
March of the Penguins

Hobby Photos & Links:

Veggies from my garden.

The best source for rare and heirloom vegetables.

Family & Friends

People in my life:

My Wife, Jenny, is a real "Renaissance Woman." She is an excellent artist, mother, and Nurse. She currently is working with the Kaiser Permanente Cosmetics Department.

My children and people I care about:

My girls are both in grade school and both love horses, books, and spending time with the family. They are great kids.

An interesting story about my family or friends:

My wife speaks 3 dialects of Chinese, I speak Spanish. Sometime we have 3 or 4 languages going on at once in our home!

Photos of my Family & Friends:

Maya trying out Chinese Calligraphy.

Our current pet is a wonderful cat called "Oreo." Our girls call him "Black Cat." He probably thinks he is a dog the way he follows us around.

Pet Photos:

The World's most patient cat!

Travel

An adventure I've had:

One of my most exciting adventures was a trip I took after college. I traveled from Ecuador in South America to Colorado by land. It took almost a year and this amazing trip inspired me to go into medicine.

Favorite place in the world:

My most favorite place in the world is the canyon country of the Southwest United States. Its peace, beauty, and quiet can transform you into a different era.

One of my recent trips:

Our family has just returned from our second trip to China. The history of many centuries is found on every corner. We especially liked the Great Wall and the "Olympic Clock." It is counting down the days until the opening games.

Trip Photos:

Our family at the Great Wall,

Other Links & Photos