David Pompa, MD

	Joined Jul, 2002 Department: Gastroenterology [Map] Title: Physician Degree: MD Interests: I enjoy physical activity and feel that this is the single most important factor influencing one's general health. Languages: English Physician Homepage
Bio My father was a migrant worker for most of his youth and from this beginning, he imparted a strong work ethic on to me. My mother has practical wisdom that, to this day, serves as a guide. From humble beginnings, they taught me that hard work, dedication, persistence and having an open mind allows you to achieve even the most difficult of goals. It is with this philosophy that I lead my own life, practice medicine and encourage my patients. I immensely enjoy the practice of gastroenterology and chose this subspecialty for two reasons. Gastroenterology is rooted in the principles of internal medicine which are fundamental to good medical care. I also find that the procedural skill required daily in my job presents challenges that are outright fun! During my gastroenterology training, I spent a considerable amount of time at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego County. It was there that I learned my clinical skills from what I felt were the best clinicians/physicians. The time I spent at UCSD Medical Center was great for academic purposes, but the time spent at Kaiser Permanente taught me how to practice medicine. I am grateful for my training at Kaiser Permanente every day I practice here in Santa Rosa. I would not work anywhere else!
My Medical Specialty
More details about my specialty: In gastroenterology, we perform many specialized procedures including upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). It is the technical and cerebral challenges unique to each of these procedures that fuels my career interest. I have always loved procedures and feel this sets my field apart from most others. My specialty interests and affiliations within my field: I enjoy performing ERCP as I find it to be the most challenging of all the procedures we do in gastroenterology. Great health resources that I refer to: For patient education, WebMD.com is the best, most reliable, and comprehensive source for medical information. The topics are presented appropriately and responsibly. With the internet being the most unregulated source of information ever known, I trust this website's integrity. Our website (members.kp.org) is also quite informative.	Photos from My Training Years or of Practicing Medicine in My Field: Colleagues at work
Interests
I have played competitive sports my entire life and this continues to this day. I play basketball at least twice weekly and every fall, play in a city league once a week. The most prideful thing for me is keeping up with the younger players. Some of them are 15 years my junior! This is truly how I THRIVE! Weight training is another fulfilling activity. I have been weight training since age 16. While basketball is a passion, weight training does most of the stress relieving. When life gets to me or is difficult, a workout lets me think through things while affording my body the exercise and push it needs. I also enjoy some gardening and yard work. As the photos show, I have a lot to keep up with.	Hobby Photos & Links: My garden How I THRIVE! My garden
Family & Friends
People in my life: Outside of my professional career, my wife's and my time is consumed happily by raising our son and daughter. Both are in their elementary years and they give rewards beyond our grandest expectations. To see them grow and teach them our personal values validates my daily existence. My wife and I several times have questioned why we didn't have them sooner! An interesting story about my family or friends: As I went through medical training, I crossed paths with many great people; some are now my closest friends. Through the lengthy and difficult road of medical training, special bonds are formed between colleagues. What's great now is getting together with them and reminiscing. What's more, most of these people have moved to different corners of the U.S. which makes for great reunions in some pretty great places!

Travel
An adventure I've had: My wife and I enjoy big cities and all that comes with them. Whenever we can, we travel to New York, Chicago, Los Angles, or San Diego. Living so close to San Francisco is a blessing for us as we frequent the city regularly. As our children grow, so does our freedom and ease in bringing them along. We hope they too will enjoy traveling as their lives evolve. Favorite place in the world: My favorite place to visit is New York City. There is no place like it. I love the ability to obtain anything and everything you need at any time of day and usually with only a short walk or cab ride. It doesn't hurt that one of my best friends lives there.