News Release — August 26, 2005

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August 26, 2005

Medical Board of California Announces Awardees for
This Year's Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program

SACRAMENTO—The Medical Board of California is proud to announce the 2005 Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program award recipients. This program, created legislatively by then- Assembly Member Firebaugh (South Gate), encourages recently licensed physicians to practice in underserved locations in California by authorizing a plan for repayment of their student loans (up to $105,000) in exchange for their service in a designated medically underserved area for a minimum of three years. The Medical Board is the state agency responsible for administering the program. Approximately $7 million has been awarded since the program's inception with another $2 million available for 2006 awards. The 2005 awardees are:

Chibuike Anucha, M.D.	Clinica Sierra Vista Clinica Sierra Vista	Lamont Arvin
Jason Auriemma, M.D.	Communicare Health Centers	Woodland
Marjan Banooni, M.D.	St. Anthony Medical Center	Los Angeles
Carmen Espitia, M.D.	San Joseph Medical Clinic	Van Nuys
Lyle Forehand, M.D.	Stanislaus Behavioral Health Stanislaus Health Services	Modesto Modesto
Goretti Garcia, M.D.	Clinica Msr. Oscar Romero	Los Angeles
Salvador Garfias, M.D.	Clinica Msr. Oscar Romero	Los Angeles
Patrick Giesemann, M.D.	Neighborhood Healthcare	Escondido
Wendi Joiner, M.D.	Humboldt Medical Group Humboldt Medical Group	Fortuna Ferndale
Lamia Kadir, M.D.	Tri-City Health Center	Fremont
Shirley Leong, M.D.	North East Medical Services	San Francisco
John Lynn, M.D.	Neighborhood Healthcare	Lakeside
Miles Masatsugu, M.D.	Community Care Health Centers	Huntington Beach
Huey Merchant, M.D.	Valley Child Guidance Clinic	Palmdale
My-Linh Pham, M.D.	Sequoia Community Health	Fresno
Marlene Rodriguez, M.D.	La Clinica de La Raza	Oakland
Erica Shoemaker, M.D.	August F. Hawkins Clinic	Los Angeles
Lorrie Shrohecker, M.D.	Mid City Community Clinic Linda Vista Health Care Center	San Diego San Diego
Brian Thomas, M.D.	Mendocino Community Health Care Mendocino Community Health Care Mendocino Community Health Care	Ukiah Lakeport Willits

These 19 awardees bring the total to 66 physicians participating in the program, providing healthcare service to medically underserved areas throughout the state.

For more information about the program, please go to www.mbc.ca.gov/mdloan or call Kevin Schunke at (916) 263-2368.

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The mission of the Medical Board is to protect healthcare consumers through the proper licensing and regulation of physicians and surgeons and certain allied healthcare professions and through the vigorous, objective enforcement of the Medical Practice Act.

If you have a question or complaint about the healthcare you are receiving, the board encourages you to visit its Web site at www.caldocinfo.ca.gov or for questions call the Consumer Information Line at (916) 263-2382, or with complaints call (800) 633-2322.

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