Laurie Chern, M.D.
“As a primary care provider, I am my patients’ advocate, teacher, counselor and friend,” says Dr. Chern. As an advocate, she encourages her patients to take personal responsibility for their health and to be active in their care decisions. As a teacher, she advises patients about lifestyle modifications that can help prevent illness. In her role as a counselor, she emphasizes the connection between the body and the mind for overall health. And as a friend, she enjoys building lasting relationships with patients of all ages.
Dr. Chern is board certified in family practice. She earned her medical degree at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, and completed her residency at St. Margaret Memorial Hospital in Pittsburgh, Penn. Areas of special interest to her are women’s health and international and travel medicine.
When she’s not in the office, Dr. Chern might be found hiking, biking, gardening or dancing the tango.
Linda Cruz, M.D.
Board Certified: Family Medicine
Dr. Linda Cruz believes that every person deserves quality health care and needs to engage in a healthy lifestyle to complement that care. “As a primary care physician, I want to provide excellent medical care to families, with a focus on prevention and care of chronic issues,” she says.
Dr. Cruz decided to become a family doctor because she believes in the value of knowing patients and their families through all stages of life. She believes long-term relationships allow a doctor to build upon previous visits to provide the best quality of care.
Dr. Cruz received her undergraduate degree in cellular, molecular and microbial biology from the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. She went on to earn her medical degree from the University of Calgary and to complete a residency at Foothills Hospital in Calgary.
Born in Canada, Dr. Cruz moved to Oregon in 1998. She is married with two children. In her free time she enjoys running and cycling.
Annette Schweiger Fischer, M.D.
Board Certified: Family Medicine
“The balance of a happy and healthy mind, body and soul is the key to healing and maintaining good health,” says Dr. Fischer. “The art of caring,” she adds, “involves providing guidance and encouraging the understanding of this concept.” Guiding her patients to take better control of their mental and physical health is what Dr. Fischer finds the most rewarding in her practice.
Dr. Fischer is board certified in family practice. She was born in San Diego, but has a strong German background, and received her medical degree from the Goethe University Medical School in Frankfurt, Germany. Her internship and residency followed at the University of California at Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.
Having studied in Germany, Dr. Fischer is fluent in German. When away from the office, she enjoys listening to music and getting outdoors.
Michelle Hall, M.D.
Board Certified: Family Medicine
Dr. Michelle Hall believes her most important role as a physician is to help people take control of their own health. “Helping people control their medical problems keeps them healthy and active longer and helps prevent complications,” she says.
As a physician, Dr. Hall emphasizes prevention and believes in forming partnerships with her patients to manage their care. She chose family medicine because it gives her the best opportunity to help people of all ages.
Dr. Hall received her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She completed her internship and residency in family medicine at the University of California San Francisco, Fresno.
Dr. Hall is married and has one daughter. In her free time she enjoys reading and needlework. She is fluent in Spanish.
Douglas Niehus, M.D.
Board Certified: Family Medicine
As a family practitioner, Dr. Niehus enjoys taking care of people of all ages, from infancy to old age. “My goal is to help patients enjoy their lives by keeping them as healthy as possible,” he says. His first responsibility, therefore, is to help his patients prevent illness by educating them about how to take care of themselves. “I’m dedicated to my patients, and to giving each of them the time they deserve,” he says.
Dr. Niehus earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry at Boston University, and his medical degree at Oregon Health & Science University. He completed his internship and residency at Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. He is board certified in family practice.
An Oregon native, Dr. Niehus enjoys spending time with his wife, Jill, and their sons, Hunter and Hayden. He looks after his own health by playing volleyball, lifting weights, swimming and bicycle riding.
Sreedevi Pitta, M.D.
Board Certified: Family Medicine
Dr. Pitta was inspired to become a physician by two incidents from her childhood — her father suddenly losing his eyesight and her grandfather being diagnosed with liver cancer. “I was impressed by the dedication and perseverance of the doctors who treated them,” she says. “This inspired me to pursue medicine so I could help others during their difficult times.”
Board certified in family medicine, Dr. Pitta earned her medical degree from Kurnool Medical College in India and completed her residency at Family Medicine Spokane. She chose to practice family medicine so she could provide care to all members of a family, regardless of gender, age or type of medical problem.
Dr. Pitta, who was born and raised in India, is married and has a son. Apart from spending time with her family, she enjoys traveling abroad, watching movies and gardening. She speaks Telugu and Hindi fluently.
Leslie Strickland, M.D.
Board Certified: Family Medicine
In her practice, Dr. Leslie Strickland emphasizes prevention of illness and promotes lifestyle change. “My goal is to fully inform, educate and empower patients to understand their health in a holistic way and give them the tools to achieve the health they desire,” she says.
Dr. Strickland has a special interest in women’s health and chronic disease management. She enjoys getting to know her patients and families and helping them achieve and maintain the best quality of life for the longest time possible.
Dr. Strickland earned her medical degree from Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine in College Station. She completed her internship and residency through the University of Wisconsin Fox Valley Family Medicine Residency Program in Appleton, Wis.
Outside of the office, she enjoys camping, biking and hiking. Dr. Strickland has volunteered for the Peace Corps and many other organizations.
