May Physician Spotlight: Joel Tanaka, MD

‍Who or what inspired you to become a physician?

My Dad inspired me to become a physician. He was a career Army Medical Service Corps Officer.  As a kid I grew up in and around Army hospitals and was very interested in science, specifically anatomy and physiology, and medicine.  I decided in 7^thgrade that I wanted to be an Army Physician, so I took a risk and went to WestPoint, knowing that there was a very small chance of going to medical school.  Thankfully, well before my West Point graduation, I was accepted to medical school.  My Mom and Dad were very inspiring and supportive of Army Medicine - not just for me, but for all Army Physicians, particularly when he was assigned to Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado, as a physician recruiter.

Briefly describe a "peak experience" from your career: interaction with a mentor, memorable patient, etc.

My 3 combat deployments were by far the “peak experience” in my career. I am thankful for the privilege of serving and caring for our nation’s brave men and women who voluntarily put themselves in harm’s way, some paying the ultimate sacrifice.  As a physician, I am driven to serve ALL people, but serving people who willingly risk their lives for others was extra special.

What led you to become involved in El Paso County Medical Society leadership?

Easy one. I thought about that a lot when I was approached with the opportunity to join the EPCMS Board of Directors.  A very good friend and mentor, (then) Army COL Nick Piantanida, told me years ago when I retire from the Army, “Plant deep roots in your community. Be involved in your community.”   After I retired from the Army in 2018, I took Nick’s advice.  What better way for me to plant deep roots in the community I love and adore since 2002, than to be involved with physicians and in physician leadership in El Paso County Medical Society?  

What advice would you give to physicians-in-training who are just starting their careers?

As serious and difficult as medicine is, don’t take yourself too seriously. Medicine is hard, it’s always been hard, but I feel it’s getting more difficult to be the physician we want to be when we go to medical school.  Seek out formal and informal peer support groups. I also suggest you seek out somebody with more experience. Quite frankly, us older physicians should be seeking out you to “pay it forward”. Be humble and receptive to guidance, counsel, and wisdom that others are willing to share.  Give yourself and others plenty of grace. You are taking care of people. It is hard, and sometimes thankless, but the impact on the person sitting across from you in an exam room is real.  I would encourage any physicians-in-training to consider joining a Community Health Center, where your service directly impacts our community’s most vulnerable.

What do you enjoy doing outside of medicine?

I’m a Family Physician and I love my family! My wife, Jackie, and I have been married 30 years.  We have 3 sons that we love to spend time with. Whether it’s traveling, yoga, running, playing soccer, watching sports (live or televised), cooking at home, or eating out, any time spent with family is time well spent. 

April Physician Spotlight: Emily Valenta, DO

1. Who or what inspired you to be come a physician?

My mom had some influence. She was an RN and worked in hospitals and throughout the healthcare field and always had interesting stories to tell. Also, I always had more of an interest in science classes, compared to math or English. In high school I took an anatomy and physiology class, that was what blew my mind. I was fascinated with how the body worked and healed itself. That is the route I took to get into medicine.

2. Briefly describe a "peak experience" from your career: interaction with a mentor, memorable patient, etc.

The story that comes to mind is a patient I had who was experiencing the early signs of dementia. He was in his late 60’s, recently divorced and there was no other family in the area. After seeing him over the years, I could see the dementia progressing. Knowing he didn’t have any family or anyone in town, we reached out to next of kin who was a daughter out of state. We coordinated what to do moving forward with plan of care because safety is the biggest concern for patients with dementia. The daughter was receptive. Establishing the plan of care aided in avoiding major problems. She was of course busy doing her own thing in another state. We would connect with the daughter on the phone at clinic visits. He was reluctant at first but after having the daughter on the call expressing the concerns, he agreed moving into a living facility was the best plan. The situation was challenging, difficult in a way, but also, we were doing the right thing for his dementia by placing him in a safer environment. It felt good to move in the right direction with the care.

3.  What led you to become involved with El Paso County Medical Society?

Carol McClanahan, MD, MPH asked me to join her at the February 2023 meeting. That is the first time I had gotten involved. I like to stay involved in different organizations in town. I am a member of Colorado Springs Osteopathic Foundation. They have meetings every few months. When this popped up I thought this would be a good experience to get to know other physicians and network, which it was.

4. What advice would you give to physicians-in-training who are just starting their careers?

In training, everything you learn from medical school is straightforward and knowledge based. When you get into practice, it is very much shifted towards administrative work and optimizing the flow of patients in your daily. It can be challenging to go from basic medical knowledge and learning it one way but doing it a different way. As far as advice goes, the best thing I can recommend is to try to persist and stay positive as it can be frustrating transitioning from school into real life practice. The amount of paperwork and administrative tasks are not necessarily what you learn about in medical school. It does get better and more manageable, just stay persistent.

5. What do you enjoy doing outside of medicine?

I like spending time with my family. I have 2 girls now. We also have a dog who takes up a lot of our time with his energy needs. He is a Weimaraner, so he is very high energy. We like to go hiking with him and take him to the park. I also enjoy skiing and hiking quite a bit with my husband and my family. All the fun outdoor Colorado stuff.