Paul Freitas, MD

	Joined Jul, 1987 Department: Family Medicine Services [Map] Title: Physician Degree: MD Interests: Outside of medicine, I have interests in Photography, Computers, Computer Graphics, Bicycling and other sports. Languages: (some) Spanish Physician Homepage
Bio I am a family physician who has been practicing at Kaiser, Santa Rosa since 1990. As the name implies, Family Medicine is a discipline in Medicine that aims at comprehensive care for all members throughout their life. My training has encompassed Pediatrics, Adult Medicine, office Gynecology, Orthopedics, and Dermatology. While I can treat most problems which you might present with, I can also assist in obtaining specialty care when it is needed. I was born and raised in Oakland, California and received by undergraduate education and medical training within this state. This included my bachelors degrees from U.C. Berkeley and my medical degree from U.C. San Diego. Because I enjoy applying science to practical problems, I considered a career in chemical engineering for a time while at Berkeley, but it soon became clear to me that Medicine was a much better fit. After my graduate training at San Diego, I did my internship and residency at the busy county hospital program in San Bernardino, completing that in 1987. The broad extent of my training has allowed me to pursue different interests here at Kaiser, Santa Rosa. I cared for nursing home and rehab facility patients for a number of years and participated in a clinic here for the nonsurgical management of back pain. Currently, I am part of a team that cares for patients with HIV/AIDS.
My Medical Specialty
More details about my specialty: As when I first learned about it, I continue to be fascinated by Family Medicine and by its broad approach to people's health and well being. A person's mind and emotional state has a great influence on his/her body and the reverse is true. Family Medicine has trained me to approach patients with this in mind and also to be able to treat families as a whole. My specialty interests and affiliations within my field: As a Family Doctor I am well trained to care for people of any age, from newborns to the elderly. My skills include the office practice of Pediatrics, Adult Medicine, Gynecology, Orthopedics, and Dermatology. In addition, a portion of my practice is devoted to HIV/AIDS care. I have had years of experience as a consultant in spine and neck problems.
Interests
I have been hooked on photography from an early age and have spent many hours in darkrooms before I converted to digital photography. Now I spend the same amount of time gazing at a computer screen. I recently acquired a digital pen and tablet that allows me to convert my photos to "paintings". Here is some of my work. Currently reading: Monster Island My favorite book or author: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Great movie: Nightwatch	Hobby Photos & Links: A painterly technique applied to a photo Meadow in Contrast, which is a scene I shot in Annadell one sunny day then modified into this stark black/ white form in Photoshop An abstract painting of my daughter on a carnival ride
Family & Friends
People in my life: I am married, and my wife also is a physician. We met in med school. She is a wonderful person and a great strength for me personally and professionally My children and people I care about: My three daughters are very different but all very spirited and talented (I don't know where that comes from !). An interesting story about my family or friends: Some early role models I saw again recently at the San Francisco Wax Museum.	Photos of my Family & Friends: Sally and me. The family exploring the Santa Cruz coast My daughter working clay My role models
My pets: Our family dog, Toby, a border terrier, is a true rascal. He makes up for it by being very cute and adorable. Tertius, the cat is... well, a cat !	Pet Photos: Toby, the Border Terrier Tertius, the cat.
Travel
An adventure I've had: I enjoy the Fall season and the tradition of Halloween. With that I have taken to dressing up as fantasy characters for that special day, as do my workmates. Here you can see me in various incarnations. Favorite place in the world: Home! I am a true homebody and enjoy the sights and sounds of the local scene. Hiking in Anandel, exploring along the coast, or biking along the vineyards, Sonoma county is a fascinating and rich place to live. One of my recent trips: I was privileged to represent Kaiser Permanente at the 2002 International AIDS conference in Barcelona, Spain. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.	Travel Photos: As Uncle Sam As an Evil Wizard As Doctor Octopus A Photo of One of My Favorite Places: Me as a wizard, again ! Trip Photos: 2002 AIDS Barcelona Conference