Dr. Lan T Tran, MD

My Profession and Why I Chose It

People ask me why I became a psychiatrist. I never thought of becoming one when I decided to choose a medical career. When one thinks of a doctor, one imagines a white jacket, a stethoscope around the neck and a hammer in the coat pocket which is ready to jump out and hit your kneecap. A psychiatrist does not do that. What a psychiatrist does is listen to your concerns, your worries and your feelings and try to make you feel better so that you can enjoy life to its fullest. What made me choose this path that now determines my career? Ignorance. Yes, pure and innocent ignorance. Contrary to the old adage "ignorance is bliss," ignorance in mental health is tragedy. I was in my second year of medical school when a classmate came over to me, complaining that people talked negatively of her. The best I could do at the time was to reassure her that nobody would have ill feelings toward a kind and gentle person like her. During the final exam, she sat there, …smiling to herself and ended up turning in a blank test sheet. She did not pass and was held back. The next thing I heard was that she committed suicide. Had I known what I know now, I would have recommended her to see a psychiatrist. She had a mental illness that I was unable to recognize. She looked too healthy, she was very active. Nobody was aware that inner voices were ravaging her and the disturbing thoughts eventually led to her death. That is why I became a psychiatrist, to heal the mental wounds of the physically well person.

My Practice Philosophy

My practice philosophy is to listen carefully. I need to fully understand what you try to say to me, what you try to make me aware of, so that I can assist you to the best of my ability. It is only when I’ve understood what you convey to me that we have established successful communication. I often ask questions to clarify what is being discussed because listening to me is not enough. Listening and understanding are what I require of myself before I can provide you with any assistance. I believe that prevention is the best treatment. If you are not feeling "your best", please do not wait until you cannot sleep, cannot enjoy your family or relationships, cannot perform at work, or even enjoy a beautiful day. I urge you to talk to someone, we are here to listen and help.

My Tenure with Kaiser Permanente

I have been with Kaiser Permanente for 10 years. Before I joined the medical staff at Kaiser Permanente, I was a member (and still am a member.)

Why I Like Practicing Medicine at Kaiser Permanente

I enjoy working for Kaiser Permanente not only because I am pleased with the way the organization and the staff delivers the services, but also because Kaiser Permanente always strives to make improvements in serving their members. Kaiser Permanente has long adopted evidenced-based treatments, and I am supportive of that approach in the delivery of health care. Such scientific approach allows me to provide the best treatment for members, and I have the luxury of accessing information from the state-of-the-art technology that constitutes the infrastructure of today's medicine. If for whatever reasons, I cannot be of assistance to you, the member, I can rely on my colleagues who will provide their expertise to assist you. The nice thing about Kaiser Permanente policy is that you can request to have another physician if you should feel uneasy with the physician that was assigned to you initially.

About My Home Page

I hope that I have elucidated some questions or uncertainties that you may have about Kaiser Permanente in general, and about me, your prospective health care provider, in particular. The message I would like you to take home is that prevention and early treatment are likely to minimize the severity of illness and untoward consequences. I would be glad to answer other questions that you my have.