Faculty
Message from the Program Director
Greetings,
The mission of the Internal Medicine training program at Eisenhower Health is to train outstanding physicians who are equipped to provide exceptional care in General Internal Medicine, as Primary Care Physicians and Hospitalists, and who are well prepared to build upon a strong foundation of internal medicine should they choose to pursue additional fellowship training.
It is our hope that graduates will have had an exciting and fulfilling education in general internal medicine and want to contribute to the high quality health care available in the Coachella Valley and throughout the United States. To deliver this excellent quality of care, general internists must be competent in the evaluation of undifferentiated medical problems, the management of acute and chronic medical illnesses, and the identification and management of psychosocial problems associated with illness. In addition, comprehensive preventative services that include health promotion and cost effective disease management are hallmarks of the effective internist. Clinical training at Eisenhower Health focuses on developing physicians with the skills, knowledge and abilities that are required for providing ambulatory and inpatient medical care. We emphasize the importance of integrating a strong foundation in the scientific knowledge which guides clinical medicine with a clear understanding of the importance of the social determinants of health which can profoundly impact a patient’s clinical course. As physicians, we are charged with treating the whole patient, delivering care that is compassionate, comprehensive, and culturally competent.
Our faculty take immense pride in the training that they provide to the residents as they witness the impact that our graduates have had on patients during their training as well as following graduation. I hope that you will seriously consider the Internal Medicine residency program at Eisenhower Health. I believe that it offers each of our residents an opportunity to develop into an outstanding physician in an inviting working environment and a wonderful place to live.
Sincerely,
Wendy Ellisse White, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Endocrinology/Diabetes/Metabolism*
Years in Practice: 11 years
Years on Medical Staff: 11 years
Languages: English, Spanish
Professional Education
Medical School: KECK – University of Southern California
Internship: LA County – USC Medical Center
Residency: LA County – USC Medical Center
Fellowship: LA County – USC Medical Center
Board Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine/Endocrinology
Diabetes
Metabolism
American Board of Internal Medicine
*Board Certified Specialty
Faculty
Associate Program Directors
Naeem Nidal Abu-Shehab, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Hospitalist
Internal Medicine*
Years in Practice: 14 years
Years on Staff: 14 years
Languages: English, Arabic
Professional Education
Medical School: Jordan University of Science and Technology
Internship: UCLA-Kern Medical Center
Residency: UCLA-Kern Medical Center
Board Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine
*Board Certified Specialty
Xolani P. Mdluli, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Infectious Disease*
Years in Practice: 12 years
Years on Staff: 12 years
Languages: English
Professional Education
Professional Education Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Internship: Jersey City Medical Center
Residency: Jersey City Medical Center
Fellowship: Loyola University Medical Center
Board Certification:
American Board of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases
*Board Certified Specialty
Philip J. Shaver, MD
Philip Shaver, MD, is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, and has been certified by the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology. He has also been certified as a Clinical Specialist in Hypertension.
Dr. Shaver attended medical school at The Ohio State University, graduating with honors in surgery. He completed his internship and residency in the United States Navy prior to finishing a fellowship in cardiovascular disease at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. During his time with Eisenhower Desert Cardiology, Dr. Shaver has served as Chief of Cardiology, Chairman of the Department of Medicine, Director of Medical Education and President of the Medical Staff.
“I really value entering people’s lives and being privileged with information that most professions will never know, and to honor the responsibility of having this information. There’s something interesting about virtually everyone you talk to — not their diseases, but their stories, their lives. The payoff is the trust; the emotional income. Even with all of our advanced technology, we have to keep the human element. That is what keeps me interested to this day.”
Dr. Shaver’s career includes starting the angioplasty program and being the first Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Eisenhower. He also served on the staff at the San Diego Naval Hospital as a naval reservist teaching young physicians in training. Serving in the Medical Corps of the Navy Reserves for 22 years, Dr. Shaver retired with the rank of Captain in 2002.
Professional Details
Specialties: Cardiovascular Disease, Internal Medicine
Years in Practice: 57 years
Languages: English
Professional Education
Professional Education Medical School: Ohio State University College of Medicine
Internship: United States Naval Medical Center
Residency: United States Naval Medical Center
Fellowship: National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland
Board Certification:
Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology
*Board Certified Specialty
Core Faculty
Adewale B. Ajumobi, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Gastroenterology*
Years in Practice: 10 years
Years on Staff: 10 years
Languages: English
Professional Education
Medical School: University of Ilorin Nigeria
Internship: Loma Linda University Medical Center
Residency: Loma Linda University Medical Center
Fellowship: University of Texas Health System
Board Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine
American Board of Internal Medicine/Gastroenterology
*Board Certified Specialty
Janpreet Bhandohal, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Internal Medicine*
Years in Practice: 6 years
Years on Staff: 2 years
Languages: English, Hindi, Punjabi
Professional Education
Medical School: Banaras Hindu University
Residency: New York Medical College
Board Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine
*Board Certified Specialty
Joan K. Dabu, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Pulmonary Disease*, Critical Care*, Internal Medicine*
Years in Practice: 8 years
Years on Staff: 8 years
Languages: English, Tagalog
Professional Education
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Internship: Saint Michaels Medical Center
Residency: Saint Michaels Medical Center
Fellowship: Saint Michaels Medical Center
Board Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine
American Board of IM/Pulmonary Disease
American Board of IM/Critical Care Medicine
*Board Certified in this Specialty
Professional Details
Specialties: Hospitalist, Internal Medicine
Years Practicing: 4 years
Years On Staff: 4 years
Languages: Arabic, English
Professional Education
Medical. School: American University of Antigua
Residency: Eisenhower Medical Center
Steve March, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialties: Hospitalist
Internal Medicine*
Years in Practice: 9 years
Years on Staff: 9 years
Languages: Russian, Spanish
Professional Education
Medical School: University of California
Irvine School of Medicine
Residency: Eisenhower Medical Center
Board Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine
*Board Certified Specialty
Ali H. Zareh Mendez, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Hospitalist, Internal Medicine *
Years in Practice: 5 years
Years on Staff: 4 years
Languages: English, Spanish
Professional Education
Medical School: Universidad Autonoma de Baja California Mexicali
Residency: Eisenhower Medical Center
Board Certification:
American Board of Internal Medicine
* Indicates Board Certified in this Specialty
Anil Perumbeti, MD
Subspecialty Education Coordinator of Pulmonary and Critical Care
Critical Care
Anil Perumbeti, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Pulmonary Disease*, Critical Care*
Years in Practice: 10 years
Years on Staff: 10 years
Languages: English
Professional Education
Medical School: Northeastern Ohio Medical University
Internship: LA County – USC Medical Center
Residency: LA County – USC Medical Center
Fellowship: LA County – USC Medical Center
Board Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine/Pulmonary Disease
American Board of Internal Medicine/Critical Care Medicine
American Board of Internal Medicine
*Board Certified Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care
Andrew Michael Rubin, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Electrophysiology*
Cardiovascular Disease*
Languages: English
Years in Practice: 34 years
Years on Staff: 31 years
Professional Education
Medical School: Temple University School of Medicine
Internship: The Grad Hosp/Univ of PA
Residency: The Grad Hosp/Univ of PA
Fellowship: Temple University Hospital
Lankenau Hospital
Board Certification
American Board of IM/Cardiovascular Disease
American Board of IM/Cardiac Electrophysiology
* Board Certified Specialty
Namrata Sekhon, MD
Professional Details
Specialties: Internal Medicine
Years Practicing: 8 years
Years on Staff: 8 years
Languages: English, Hindi, Punjabi
Professional Education
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
Internship: Englewood Hospital & Medical Center
Residency: Englewood Hospital & Medical Center
Charles Ukpong, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Hospitalist
Internal Medicine*
Languages: English
Years in Practice: 17 years
Years on Staff: 17 years
Professional Education
Medical School: University of Benin College of Medicine
Internship: Jersey City Medical Center
Residency: Jersey City Medical Center
Board Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine
*Board Certified Specialty
Tommy Zaharakis, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Hospitalist, Internal Medicine *, Nephrology
Years in Practice: 22 years
Years on Staff: 9 years
Languages: English
Professional Education
Medical School: New York Medical College
Internship: Winthrop-University Hospital
Residency: Winthrop-University Hospital
Fellowship: Winthrop-University Hospital
Board Certification:
American Board of IM/Nephrology
American Board of Internal Medicine
* Indicates Board Certified in this Specialty
Subspecialty Education Coordinators
Rodolfo R. Batarse, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Nephrology*
Years in Practice: 19 years
Years on Staff: 17 years
Languages: English, Spanish
Professional Education
Medical School: University of California-San Diego
Residency: University of CA Medical Center San Diego
Internship: University of CA Medical Center San Diego
Fellowship: University of CA Medical Center San Diego
Board Certification
American Board of IM/Nephrology
*Board Certified Specialty
Mark Dela Cruz, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Family Medicine*, Geriatrics*, Hospice/Palliative Care*
Years in Practice: 18 years
Years on Staff: 7 years
Languages: English
Professional Education and Fellowships
Medical School: Far Eastern University – Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation Institute of Medicine
Residency: Mercy Health Partners
Fellowship: Stanford University – Hospice and Palliative Care
Board Certification:
Authority:
American Board of Family Medicine/Palliative Care
American Board of Family Medicine/Geriatric
American Board of Family Medicine
American Board of Family Medicine/Geriatric
*Board Certified in Family Medicine, Geriatrics, Hospice and Palliative Care
Wirachin Hoonpongsimanont, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialties: Emergency Medicine*
Years in Practice: 14 years
Years on Staff: 5 years
Languages: English
Professional Education
Medical School: Siriraj Hospital
Mahidol University
Residency: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Board Certification
American Board of Emergency Medicine
*Board Certified in Emergency Medicine
Samir P. Macwan, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Neurology*, Neuromuscular Medicine*
Years in Practice: 15 years
Years on Staff: 15 years
Languages: English, Gujarati, Hindi
Professional Education
Medical School: Government Medical College
Internship: Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Center
New York Medical College
Residency: Kansas University Medical Center
Fellowship: Kansas University Medical Center
Board Certification
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology – Neuromuscular Medicine
*Board Certified Specialty
Kam A Newman, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Rheumatology*
Years in Practice: 11 years
Years on Staff: 9 years
Languages: English, Farsi
Professional Education
Medical School: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
Internship: Jamaica Hospital
Residency: Jamaica Hospital
Fellowship: Cleveland Clinic Childrens Hospital for Rehab
National Institutes of Health
Board Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine
American Board of IM/Rheumatology
*Board Certified Specialty
Henry Tung-Yun Tsai, MD
Professional Details
Primary Specialty: Hematology/Oncology*
Years in Practice: 18 years
Years on Staff: 15 years
Languages: English, Mandarin
Professional Education
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Internship: Emory University School of Medicine
Residency: Emory University School of Medicine
Fellowship: Emory University School of Medicine
Board Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine/Hematology
American Board of Internal Medicine/Medical Oncology
*Board Certified Specialty