Family Practice Residency Program

Ronald Chambers, MD | Program Director
Dr. Chambers grew up in Shasta Lake, a rural town in northern California with the lifelong desire to become a third generation family physician. He attended UC, Santa Barbara where he majored in Zoology, Exercise Physiology and Nutrition. Prior to entering medical school he worked in Washington D.C. at the Surgeon General's Office on Healthy People 2010, the UCSF Gladstone Institute on HIV research, lectured on anatomy and kinesiology at UCSB and was active in coaching the Special Olympics, the Big Brothers Program, Operation Smile and a variety of other philanthropic activities. He attended medical school at George Washington University in Washington D.C. where he continued to diversify his medical training with alternative medicine techniques while remaining focused on primary care. Residency training was done at Methodist Hospital where he participated in CAFP, worked on a medical trip to Africa and volunteered at local free clinics. Dr. Chambers was the first graduate of this program to join the faculty full time and has completed the UCSF Faculty Development Fellowship. His interests include humanitarianism in medicine, global health, sports medicine, any outdoor activity and most importantly spending time with his wife and children. View his profile for more information.

Timothy Takagi, MD | Associate Residency Director
Dr. Takagi grew up in Long Beach, CA and received his B.S. in Fisheries Biology from UC, Davis. He did research for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, taught P.E. at a small parochial elementary school and worked at a suicide prevention hotline, before deciding to enter the medical field. Dr. Takagi graduated from UC, Davis School of Medicine and went to Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield to complete residency training, serve as chief resident and spend an extra year teaching. He moved back to Sacramento and practiced emergency medicine in the Sierra foothills before taking over a solo private practice in south Sacramento. Realizing that teaching was still very important to him, Dr. Takagi joined the Methodist Residency Program in 1996. When he finds free time between work and family, Dr. Takagi enjoys photography, music, cooking and outdoor sports. His first addiction is still volleyball, but his knees are starting to feel old. View his profile for more information.

Candace Lawson, MD | Medical Director, Mercy Family Health Center
Dr. Lawson hails from Talladega, AL, home of the Winston 500 and historic Talladega College. She completed her bachelor's degree at UC, Berkeley with a major in Conservation and Resource Studies. She then did a year and a half of epidemiological research in San Francisco studying the AIDS epidemic. She completed her medical school training and residency at the UC, Davis, followed by a one-year academic medicine/adult medicine fellowship. Dr. Lawson has worked in a variety of settings including community clinics, academic centers and corporate healthcare environments. Her professional interests include women's health, medical education, continuous quality improvement and general family practice. She enjoys playing piano, reading and spending time with her family. Dr. Lawson is an Assistant Clinical Professor with the Department of Family Practice at the University of Southern California. View her profile for more information.

Vincent Lo, MD, FAAFP | Faculty Physician
When Dr. Lo graduated from medical school at the University of Hong Kong in 1979 he chose Family Medicine as his career because it allowed him to offer a broad scope of medical services to his patients. After residency, he had a vibrant and rewarding solo practice in a small town in upstate New York. While building his practice, Dr. Lo served as a community preceptor and an in-patient attending for his former residency program. Dr. Lo loves teaching and the challenge of working with residents. In 2001, he made a career change and became a full-time teaching faculty member and the associate program director of his residency program. Dr. Lo also had the opportunity to explore and develop his interest in research and medical writing. In 2005, he relocated to northern California where he completed his undergraduate study at UC, Davis and subsequently joined the San Joaquin Family Medicine Residency until end of 2010. Currently, he is part of the Mercy-Methodist Family Practice Residency. Outside work, Dr. Lo enjoys church and community services, playing tennis and cooking with his wife.

Joe Le, MD | Faculty Member
A graduate of the Mercy-Methodist Family Practice Residency Program, Class of 2003, Dr. Le is one of the leading community preceptors for inpatient and outpatient medicine. His successful private clinic is a model for best practice. View his profile for more information.

Richard D. DeFelice, MD, MPH | Intensivist/Hospitalist
Dr. DeFelice received his MD degree from Loyola Stritch School of Medicine. He completed his residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Arizona in 1979, then completed fellowships in Infectious Diseases and Pulmonary Disease. Dr. DeFelice is Board Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease, Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, and oversees the Internal Medicine/ICU rotations at Methodist Hospital. He was voted as one of "Best Physicians" in Sacramento by the Sacramento Magazine. View his profile for more information.

Dan Stewart, MD | Chief, Department of Surgery
Dr. Stewart is a graduate of Duke University and a Fellow of the American College of Surgery. He has been an active member of the Surgery Department at Methodist Hospital for twenty years, with an active interest in general and vascular surgery. He has been the primary surgery preceptor since the inception of the residency program 10 years ago and is currently the Chief of Surgery Department. View his profile for more information.

Rahat Saied, MD | Pediatrics Coordinator
Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, Dr. Saied specializes in the care of infants, children, teenagers and young adults. Dr. Saied received his medical degree from Dow Medical College in Pakistan and completed his post-graduate training at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and the University Of California, Davis Medical Center. He established Elk Grove Pediatrics, Inc., in 1983. In addition, since 1981, he has been affiliated with the UC, Davis Medical Center, Sacramento and currently holds the position of associate clinical professor in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Saied also maintains staff privileges at Methodist, Mercy and Sutter Hospitals. View his profile for more information.

Eileen Kuhn