Overview
The Kaiser Permanente Community Medicine and Health Disparities fellowship based in Oakland (CMHD- Oakland) is designed to train Internal Medicine or Family Medicine physicians to become leaders in reducing health disparities in our communities.
Highlights
- Close collaboration and teaching opportunities with the Kaiser Oakland Health Equity & Disparities residency track
- Variety of established community partners allow fellows to pursue wide range of clinical interests such as working with patients of unique language and cultural backgrounds, or with special populations such as LGBTQ, HIV-infected and the incarcerated.
- Mentored research opportunities with the support of a dedicated research project manager and research physicians in Healthcare Delivery at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research
- Mentored Community projects
- Enhance Medical Spanish and other languages through work at local clinics and Kaiser Permanente-sponsored global sites
- Optional funded global health rotation
Clinical Opportunities
During this 13-month fellowship (July 1 – July 31), fellows will provide longitudinal Primary Care to the medically underserved while engaging in a mentored community project aimed at reducing health disparities.
- Fellows will be based at a primary community site, such as Lifelong Medical Group, La Clinica de la Raza, or Asian Health Services in Oakland, where they will provide primary care to a longitudinal panel of patients and engage in clinic initiatives such as group health education classes and home visit programs.
- In addition, fellows will be able to rotate through a variety of clinics such as San Quentin prison and clinics specializing in care for the homeless, HIV-infected or LGBTQ.
- At these sites, fellows will have opportunities to teach Kaiser Permanente Oakland Health Equity & Disparities residents, as well as other residents and medical students.
- CMHD- Oakland Fellows will also be allowed to participate in up to 4 weeks of Kaiser Permanente-sponsored international medical experiences at KP Global Health sites such as:
- Honduras – ENLACE foundation
- Ecuador – Cacha Medical Spanish Institute
- Guatemala – Hospital de La Familia
- Kenya – The Matibabu/Tiba Foundations
- Zambia – University Teaching Hospital
- Da Nang- Da Nang General Hospital
- Tibet- Tibetan Delek Hospital
Community Advocacy and Community Project
- The CMHD- Oakland Fellow is expected to complete a scholarly project in Community Health. Types of projects may range from implementation of a Quality Improvement initiative at a community partner site, a novel clinical care innovation or initiative, mentored research through Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research, medical education or a health policy project.
- Fellows will have regular protected time to develop their projects, meet with mentors and researchers, and to meet and collaborate with other KP Community Health fellows in the region.
- The fellows will also be expected to take active roles in a variety of community initiatives, from local health fairs to legislative advocacy with the community partners to assisting with KP efforts to reduce disparities and to develop and recruit diverse students and physicians
Didactics
- Fellows will have protected time for didactic learning in Community Medicine and Health Disparities, including time to meet with the other KP Community Health fellows in the region.
- It is also expected that the Fellow will contribute to teaching the Health Equity and Disparities residents and the IM residents from Kaiser Oakland, as well as take on a teaching role in the community clinic site.
Fellowship Leadership
The Program Director overseeing all of the KP Northern California Community Medicine Fellowships is Dr. Tessa Stecker, MD. Fellows in the CMHD- Oakland program will also be supported by Dr. Nailah Thompson and Dr. Tom Baudendistel.

Tom Baudendistel, MD
Program Director

Tom Baudendistel, MD
Program Director
Medical Education
University of Missouri Columbia, Columbia, MO
Residency & Chief Residency
UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Board Certification
Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine
Teaching Awards
Kaiser Oakland Housestaff Teaching Award, UCSF Housestaff Teaching Award, AOA Medical Student Teaching Award
Curricular Interests
Clinical decision-making and problem-solving, evidence-based medicine, quality improvement and patient safety, ethics, hospital medicine, bedside ultrasound
How I Thrive
At work, 'the lightbulb moments' at daily report and at one-on-one mentoring sessions with my residents energize me. At home, my wife and two children are a constant source of joy. When I need to blow off steam, you can find me running the trails, riding my road bike, or playing or coaching soccer or just about any other outdoor activity.
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Nailah Thompson, DO, MPH
Director, Health Equity & Disparities Track

Nailah Thompson, DO, MPH
Director, Health Equity & Disparities Track
Medical Education
University of Health Sciences in Kansas City, MO
Residency & Chief Residency
Alameda County Medical Center, Oakland, CA
Master of Public Health
Columbia University, New York City, NY
Fellowship
Preventive Medicine, New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Specialist in Clinical Hypertension
American Society of Hypertension Specialists Program
Board Certifications
Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine; Preventive Medicine, American Board of Preventive Medicine
Teaching Awards
KP East Bay Academy of Medical Educators
Curricular Interests
Implemented Specialty Blood Pressure Clinic at the Oakland Medical Center as a service to all Black/African American patients in the East Bay with poorly controlled hypertension; Identifying and addressing the barriers to health and health care her patients may experience; Community work, including health education, focusing on the importance of healthy eating, drinking and being active in children; speaks regularly on health disparities, and the importance of chronic disease prevention and treatment in the African American communities; NBA FIT and GET FIT clinics with the NBA & Golden State Warriors; Co-chair of the Board of the Downtown Oakland YMCA where she enjoys being closely connected to the community.
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Tessa Stecker, MD
Fellowship Program Director

Tessa Stecker, MD
Fellowship Program Director
Medical Education
Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Residency
Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Woodland Hills, CA
Fellowship
Community Medicine Fellowship, KP Woodland Hills Community Medicine and Global Health Fellowship, KP Napa-Solano UC San Francisco Northern California Faculty Development Fellowship
Curricular Interests
Social determinants of health, implicit bias, clinic efficiency, global health, procedures, dermatology, health policy
Scholarly Activity Interests
Global Health, Community Medicine, Adverse Childhood Events Study/Clinics, Teaching Kitchens and Nutrition, Dermatology, Minor Procedures, Women's Health and Contraception, Health Literacy, Youth Development Networks/Pipeline Programs, Homeless Health
How I thrive
Watching USC football, cooking, discovering new wineries, traveling

Adam Luxenberg, MD
Core Faculty, Primary Care Medicine

Adam Luxenberg, MD
Core Faculty, Primary Care Medicine
Medical Education
Residency & Chief Residency
Board Certification
Teaching Awards
Curricular Interests
How I Thrive
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Shefali Nath, MD
Core Faculty for Health Equities and Disparities track and Primary Care Medicine

Shefali Nath, MD
Core Faculty for Health Equities and Disparities track and Primary Care Medicine
Medical Education
Residency & Chief Residency
Board Certification
Teaching Awards
Curricular Interests
How I Thrive
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2022-2023 Fellow

Tafor Bonu, MD, MBA, MPH

Tafor Bonu, MD, MBA, MPH