New doctor helps close gender gap at Sutter Delta

Despite a growing number of women now attending medical school, there is still a relatively low number of female doctors in the nation. The situation becomes even more apparent when looking at Antioch's Sutter Delta Medical Center, where there is a very low ratio of female to male doctors.

That is part of the reason Al Scott, director of the Sutter Regional Medical Foundation, is so excited to have brought Dr. Fatima Memon on staff as an internal medicine physician at the Antioch facility.

"It was wonderful to find not only a woman doctor but one so qualified to come to our area," Scott said.

Memon, who was educated in India, worked her residency program at the prestigious Morristown Memorial Hospital in New Jersey. That facility is well-known as a Level II trauma center and 650-bed tertiary care facility.

Morristown Memorial Hospital is one of the largest hospitals in New Jersey, and is the flagship hospital for Atlantic Health. Memon spent three years working at that facility.
After leaving New Jersey, Memon spent a little time in Santa Clara and fell in love with California. "After living in New Jersey cold winters, California's warmer climate is just what I needed," she said.

After graduating from Al-Ameen Medical College in Bijapur, India with honors, Memon spent five years working at clinics and hospitals in India. She decided she wanted to specialize in internal medicine, and headed to America to complete her residency.

Her professional interests include internal medicine, and diagnosis and treatment of adult diseases. She also does research in women's health and preventive medicine.

"I strive to get to know my patients on a one-to-one level. This gives me a better understanding of them on multiple levels — social, economical and environmental," Memon said. "Knowing the patient on a more personal level enables me to provide better overall care to the patient."
Scott said that although Memon has been seeing quite a few patients since she started her practice in January, she definitely has room to see more.

Memon is practicing at the Sutter Regional Medical Foundation-Sutter Delta Medical Group offices on the corner of Blue Rock and Lone Tree Way. She can be reached through the Sutter-Delta offices at 925-756-3400.