Vidya Balakrishnan, PA
San Francisco
Physician Assistant, an advanced practice degree for primary care providers who undergo extensive practical training and board certification, and are licensed to practice medicine including the full range of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
I cannot think of a greater privilege than being able to empower my patients to be an active vessel of change in their own health and longevity and getting to witness the positive after effects. I love teaching my patients about illness prevention and helping them to intricately understand disease pathology. On any given day, I believe I can learn as much from my patients as I can teach them and I love building patient-provider relationships over time. I am passionate about delivering culturally-competent care, increasing healthcare access via telemedicine, periodic health screening exams, preventive care, evidence-based medicine, patient education, and eliminating healthcare disparities. As a primary care provider, my foremost goal is to help my patients take an active role in their own health. I believe in careful listening, open communication, and making sure my patient's most pressing concerns are addressed. This is especially important when I meet a new patient and something I continue to prioritize as a patient-provider rapport develops over time. I strongly believe in increasing health literacy across all patient populations and actively involving my patients in their treatment plans bolstered by evidence-based medicine.
How I stay healthy and happy
In my spare time I love to travel near and far, play tennis, ski, Latin dance, discover new restaurants, take Zumba classes, and spend time with my family, friends, and Maltipoo!
Education
Samuel Merritt University, Oakland, CA
Residency
Board certification
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
Other languages spoken
Tamil
Goes by
Vidya
Pronouns
She, her, hers