Penn Elm Medical Group
488 E. Valley Parkway
Suite 411
Escondido, CA 92025
(760) 745-2000

Our family of physicians is dedicated to serving the community’s needs, both in the office and out of it. You will find that our physicians have "grown up" here, and have devoted personal time to the community and the families they have chosen to raise here. Within Penn Elm Medical Group you will find a group of progressive physicians who still uphold the traditional values of family medicine.

• Kenneth A. Altschuler, M.D.
• Jeff Birchall, M.D.
• Russel Buzard, D.O.
• Catalina Escobar, M.D.
• Brent Greenberg, M.D.
• Thomas J. Naegeli, M.D.
• Veena Prabhakar, D.O.
• Veronica Reyes, M.D.
• Richard Ricci, M.D.
• Lynn Sheffey, M.D.

Kenneth A. Altschuler, M.D.
A native of Ontario, Canada, Dr. Altschuler earned both his Bachelor of Science degree and M.D. at the University of Western Ontario. After practicing for eleven years in Canada, he spent four years in Arizona before joining Penn Elm in 1996. In addition to his busy practice, Dr. Altschuler is the medical director at Penn Elm. The responsibilities involved in this position are great, but he enjoys having many projects going on at the same time.

Among his colleagues, Dr. Altschuler is highly respected for his entrepreneurial spirit and drive. His sub-specialty interests include emergent/urgent medical care and infectious disease. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Practice as well as the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Dr. Altschuler is a dedicated family man, and much of his free time is centered around his three children, his wife, and their many and varied interests.

Jeff Birchall, M.D.
A native of Saskatchawan, Canada, Dr. Birchall has been practicing with Penn Elm Medical Group since 1991. He enjoys the variety of problems and issues that family medicine offers, and has a special concentration in pediatric care.

After attaining a Bachelor of Science degree and an M.D. at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, Dr. Birchall completed a residency in Family Medicine at Foothills Hospital in Calgary, and was certified by the Canadian College of Family Physicians and the American Board of Family Practice.

One reason for Dr. Birchall’s popularity is his calming and straightforward style which helps him relate easily with patients on a personal level. He is very active in his church and community, and is an avid ice hockey player. In his free time, you will often find him working in his Escondido backyard garden, a great source of relaxation for him, or spending time with his wife, who was his high school sweetheart, and their four children.

Russel Buzard, D.O.
Dr. Buzard graduated from Grove City College, Pennsylvania, with an honors degree in biology. He completed his medical training at Kirksville College, Missouri, received his D.O. degree in 1973, and completed his internship at Doctor’s Hospital in Tucker, Georgia. Dr. Buzard came to Escondido in 1979, and was in solo practice for seventeen years prior to joining Penn Elm in 1996. In practice since 1974, his medical affiliations include the American Osteopathic Association.

Dr. Buzard really takes his patients' welfare to heart, and it is evident in the relationships he has developed in his practice. Dr. Buzard is particularly talented with his hands and enjoys performing office surgical procedures including skin lesion removal and no-scalpel vasectomy.

You will often find Dr. Buzard in the center of an engaging conversation, and he is always friendly to all. He and his wife have been active in the community for many years, especially enjoying the California Center for the Arts. Fishing trips and time with his family on outings to Balboa Park, the museums, and Old Town top his list of "good things" to do.

Catalina Escobar, M.D.
Born and raised in Colombia, South America, Dr. Catalina Escobar attended college and medical school there, graduating in 1993. She then moved to Jacksonville and attended the University of Florida for her residency training. Upon completion in 2003, she moved to the San Diego area where she has worked for the past four years as a Family Practice Physician at Careview Medical Group and the Paradise Valley Hospital.

Dr. Escobar is a board-certified member of the American Academy of Family Practice and she focuses on all aspects of Family Practice Medicine. She especially enjoys children’s and women’s health, with a focus on preventative health maintenance. Dr. Escobar’s easy-going, extremely pleasant demeanor helps make her patients, and her colleagues very comfortable in her presence.

Away from the office, Dr. Escobar spends her free time with her husband and two young sons. Other interests include pencil-color drawing, music and travel.

Brent Greenberg, M.D.
A native Californian, Dr. Greenberg is a board-certified Family Practice Physician who joined Penn Elm in 1997. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications at UCLA in 1990, and received his M.D. from Finch University Medical School, an affiliate of Chicago Medical School. Dr. Greenberg completed his family practice residency at Rush Presbyterian and St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago, where he used his leadership skills to serve as Chief Resident. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Practice and is published in several journals. Dr. Greenberg remains a leader and is the current Penn Elm president.

Dr. Greenberg is an excellent clinician and enjoys the full spectrum of healthcare including infants, children, adults, and seniors. He is also skilled in performing vasectomy; office-based colon cancer screening through flexible sigmoidoscopy; IUD placement and removal; and minor cosmetic surgical procedures including the removal of benign moles and small varicose veins, and Botox injections. He is especially committed to fitness and nutrition. In fact, his dedication to wellness and health maintenance motivates him to run local marathons for charity. Dr. Greenberg has been seen on Fox News Television as medical consultant discussing current healthcare issues. His confident yet personal approach to patients may be why many place their family’s health in his care.

Dr. Greenberg and his wife very much enjoy living in Escondido and spending time with their two boys.

Thomas J. Naegeli, M.D.
Dr. Naegeli was born and raised in Minnesota. He attended Stanford University and the University of Minnesota as an undergraduate major in biology. Undergrad honors included election to Phi Beta Kappa. He received his medical school education at the University of Minnesota, where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. In 1978, after his residency in family practice, Dr. Naegeli moved to Escondido, and has been with Penn Elm since then. He is a member of the San Diego County Medical Society.

Dr. Naegeli relates to patients in a non-hurried fashion, and makes sure that they understand their diagnosis and plan of treatment. His areas of special interest include the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. He also emphasizes preventive health measures, including many interventions available today for prevention of vascular disease.

Dr. Naegeli’s personal interests include wilderness camping, fishing, skiing, and environmental concerns.

Veena Prabhakar, D.O.
A board-certified family practice physician, Dr. Prabhakar received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California Berkley in 1993, and her medical degree from the Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California. She completed her family practice residency at Glendale Adventist Medical Center in Glendale, California, where she was honored to serve as Chief Resident.

A San Diego native, Dr. Prabhakar is thrilled to be back in her home town. An avid tennis player throughout her life, she places a strong emphasis on maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle. While she enjoys the great diversity that family medicine offers, she has a special interest in women’s health and preventive medicine. Dr. Prabhakar communicates extremely well with her patients, and they find her diligent, compassionate, and a true advocate for their well-being. She is certified by the American Board of Family Practice, and is fluent in Spanish.

Along with her physician husband, Dave, and daughters, Julia and Mia, Dr. Prabhakar enjoys traveling, exploring new restaurants, and relaxing with her family and friends.

Veronica Reyes, M.D.
Born in El Paso, Texas, Dr. Reyes moved to San Diego as an infant and grew up here. In 1994 she graduated from UCSD with a BS in Animal Physiology and Neuroscience. Dr. Reyes attended medical school at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico and graduated from New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY in 2000. She did her residency training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey, where she became a board-certified Family Practice physician. Before starting with Penn Elm, Dr. Reyes worked in an underserved area community clinic in El Centro, CA, as well as Kaiser Permanente of San Diego.

Dr. Reyes says she truly enjoys family medicine because, “it gives me the opportunity to treat all members of the family and build lasting relationships with my patients.” Her special interests include women’s health.

Dr. Reyes is married and has a new baby girl. She enjoys outdoor activities such as biking and especially going for walks with her husband and baby.

Richard Ricci, M.D.
Born in Rhode Island, Dr. Ricci received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at the University of Calgary, Alberta, and was awarded his M.D. at the University of Alberta in Edmonton in 1981. He completed his family practice residency at San Bernardino County Medical Center in 1984, and has practiced in Escondido since then. He is certified by the American Board of Family Practice and is a member of the San Diego County Medical Society. Dr. Ricci joined Penn Elm in 1995.

Dr. Ricci believes in providing families a comprehensive blend of preventive care, patient education, and compassionate treatment. Not only is Dr. Ricci an excellent listener, but he makes it a priority that he is timely and easily available to his patients.

As the parents of three adult children, Dr. Ricci and his wife love traveling to different areas of the USA to have family gatherings. He is an avid bicyclist, often riding hundreds of miles at a time, and he enjoys all aspects of home construction.

Lynn Sheffey, M.D.
A native of California, Dr. Sheffey, a board-certified family practitioner, enjoys treating patients of all ages. After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Riverside, he earned his M.D. at the University of Louisville. He completed an internship at Orange County Medical Center, and a General Practice residency at Contra Costa County Hospital. He has been with Penn Elm since 1969, was formerly Chief of Staff at Palomar Medical Center, and served as President of the San Diego Medical Society.

Dr. Sheffey has cared for three generations of Penn Elm families. He holds high the importance of treating patients with respect, and believes in delivering high quality medical service for all those in the Penn Elm practice. Despite his busy schedule, a strong commitment to patients is clear as Dr. Sheffey and his nurse, Linda, still occasionally make house calls.

Dr. Sheffey and his wife are involved in church activities and are members of their church choir. For years, this duo has been getting on their hands and knees in order to help build homes and lay the foundation for low-income families with Habitat for Humanity all over the world. They have raised their children in Escondido, and are proud grandparents to 4, soon to be 6, grandchildren.

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