Dr. Chih-Wen Shi, MD

Dr. Shi has been the best PCP at VA La Jolla I've had since being a patient there the past 18 years. I fully understand the assembly line type service veterans receive at all VA facilities and some providers just roll with it as is and some do more within whatever time restraints. Dr. Shi is the later. Very pleased she's still my medical provider as she always provides referrals when needed.

Dr Shi has been unbelievable in caring for me and all my referrals the past year as my PCM at the VA La Jolla, in good ole SD, CA! She as been instrumental in my medical progress by actually listening, and feeling Ive been listen to from my remarkable results while under her treatment! Blessed!

The doctor and staff are prompt enough, and kind enough, but they spend such little time with each patient, and have so many patients, that most of your visit is just repeating your medical history to EVERY individual that you speak with. They cannot be bothered to remember who you are, or look at their own charts and history for you prior to your appointment, or speaking with you. Dr Shi will at least sometimes read what you told the tech, which is better than some of the docs there... But she doesn't always do this. Also, she rarely spends more than 5 min in the room with you. This means that you either get no diagnosis, and a referral (which is preferable, I'd rather see a specialist to diagnose and treat a specialist problem), or she will just act is if there is no problem and tell you to come back if it persists. I've only ever recieved 1 accurate diagnosis in the 4 years I have been assigned to this doctor. For a sinus infection, which is admittedly, an easy diagnosis. The… speed of the appointments also makes for a very painful female examination and PAP smear. 15 years of PAPs, and hers was the first one I cried at. I also never receive a breast evaluation on my annual physicals, even though I have a rather lengthy family history of breast cancer. I'm not quite old enough to require mammograms, so I'm just left to my own devices to hope that I recognize an unusual lump.