Pam Burleson, MD

Bio

I was born in San Francisco (in the original Kaiser Permanente Hospital on Geary!) and raised in Millbrae. After spending 2 years of high school with my family in Liberia, I finished school in Millbrae and then moved to Boston and received my B.A. from Wellesley College. I returned to U.C. Davis for medical school and completed my Internal Medicine Residency at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Francisco. My husband and I then spent a fascinating year in Papua, New Guinea running a small bush hospital. Upon returning to the Bay Area, we visited Sonoma County on one of those glorious spring days with emerald hills and a hint of ocean breeze and never looked back.

I have practiced internal medicine here at Kaiser Santa Rosa since 1988. I am lucky to work with wonderful colleagues and staff who I know I can depend on to provide excellent medical care to my patients. I believe that Kaiser Permanente provides the best, most comprehensive medical care available and I feel privileged to work here. Working at Kaiser Permanente gives me the benefits of prompt access to specialty consults, up to date technology, ongoing medical education and a broad spectrum of support programs.

I believe communication is the key to health care. This includes communication with patients and families, specialists, primary care physicians, nurses and ancillary staff. The hospital experience is often frightening and confusing for patients and loved ones. My job is to coordinate and direct the care of hospitalized patients and to help patients understand and make decisions about their care.

My Medical Specialty

More details about my specialty:

Hospital-based medicine is a relatively new specialty involving the care of acutely ill patients in the hospital. Although the specialty is new, the job is exactly what I trained for as a resident in Internal Medicine and I feel as though I have rediscovered my place in medicine. I had a busy internal medicine practice for 15 years here at Kaiser Santa Rosa and while I still miss my patients from the clinic, being a hospitalist is my true calling.

My specialty interests and affiliations within my field:

My particular areas of interest are end of life and palliative care issues and cardiac disease.

Great health resources that I refer to:

Up to Date, Society for Hospital Medicine, New England Journal of Medicine

Interests

My favorite book or author:
Alice Hoffman, Pablo Neruda

Hobby Photos & Links:

garden

Family & Friends

People in my life:

I have been lucky enough to share my life with my husband of 25 years, Bob Fried, who is a Kaiser Permanente physician in Petaluma. We have 2 delightful teenagers who make us laugh and keep us on our toes.

Photos of my Family & Friends:

family1

Our tennis ball-obsessed pound puppy, Lucky.

Pet Photos:

lucky

Travel

An adventure I've had:

After finishing residency, my husband and I volunteered to work in Papua, New Guinea running a small bush hospital in the underserved area of the highlands.

Favorite place in the world:

It's hard to choose a single favorite place. The Colorado River in the Grand Canyon is unmatched for excitement, natural splendor and the peace after the rapids. The red rock country of the Southwest, Death Valley, any underwater coral reef...so many choices. But, perhaps because I grew up with it in my bones, Yosemite will always be my favorite place in the world.

One of my recent trips:

I have always wanted to visit the Galapagos and a few years ago I was lucky enough to be able to travel there with my family. We all fell in love with the place and its inhabitants.

Travel Photos:

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A Photo of One of My Favorite Places:

the great outdoors

Trip Photos:

big guy

galapagos

big bird