Dr. Claire Hashimoto: Doctors like James Robinson help make our area vital, vibrant

While attending the 40-year reunion of my Merced High School class, I was struck by the number of classmates who have stayed in the area or returned to contribute to their community. A prime example is Dr. James Robinson, whom I have known since first grade. We went through Merced’s school system together and both graduated from Stanford. He went on to earn a graduate degree at UC Berkeley and his medical degree from Tufts University. He now practices internal medicine in Turlock.

I have been a pathologist for 30 years and have had the opportunity to observe dozens of my fellow physicians at numerous facilities, and I can say Dr. Robinson is outstanding. He articulately and compassionately communicates complicated medical issues to his patients in ways that they can understand. He has vast knowledge, but never hesitates to provide referrals when confronted with conditions outside his expertise. When a patient wants a second opinion, he is supportive, never letting ego interfere with the patient’s need to feel comfortable with the level of information available.

By serving the people of the area that helped mold him into a successful professional, Dr. Robinson helps keep our region vital and vibrant.

This story was originally published September 19, 2016 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Dr. Claire Hashimoto: Doctors like James Robinson help make our area vital, vibrant."