A Conversation with Gina Lam 

Tell us a little bit about yourself, like your upbringing or where you're from.

I was born and raised in San Francisco. Unicorn! My parents came to the United States as refugees from Vietnam after the Vietnam War and settled in the Tenderloin, where I spent most of my childhood until I was 16.

I've gone to school in San Francisco my entire life, from preschool through college, so I'm definitely a "purebred" San Francisco, Kaiser, baby.

I went to Lowell High School. 

I never really lived outside the Bay Area, except for one year after nursing school. At the time, it was really difficult to find a nursing job here, so I moved to San Diego for my first position. After a year, I came back because my entire family is here.

And you went to SF State for nursing?

You got it!

What inspired you to become a nurse and work in healthcare?

That’s a good question. I was graduating from high school and debated between business, economics, and a related major. My cousin is a nurse, and his wife was in nursing school at the time. They encouraged me to look into nursing because it offered so many career opportunities and was in demand. 

So, I looked into it, and I said, "Yeah, I really like science.” I decided to apply to nursing school and to a college that offered both a nursing program and a business program, just in case I changed my mind. I was 18 and pretty lost—I really didn't know what I wanted to major in.

When I met with a counselor, I was surprised that they didn't know much about the nursing program, so I ended up figuring it all out on my own.  After completing my undergrad anatomy, physiology, and other pre-reqs, I applied to nursing school to see if I'd get in, because I didn't even know if I'd get in. I got into SF State, so I decided to pursue nursing, and I really enjoyed the classes.

After I graduated, I actually wanted to work in pediatrics because I love working with kids. 

After graduation, it was hard to find a job, so I actually had to move to Med-Surg to work with adults.  And after working with adults for two to three years, I realized I didn't want to work with kids anymore.

Eventually, I decided that I wanted to come back to San Francisco. I started looking for jobs, and I got into Kaiser San Francisco. A position requirement, however, was an Oncology certification, and I was open to it, so I obtained it and cared for oncology patients in the inpatient unit. The inpatient oncology unit eventually closed, but a nurse practitioner there asked if I wanted to pick up shifts in the outpatient infusion center. I said, “Sure.” I have the certifications, so I might as well put them to use. I later transitioned there full-time, and then I moved to the San Leandro Kaiser infusion center because it was closer to home.

I later decided I wanted to try something new and applied to UCSF. I actually thought I was interviewing for another infusion position, but Shatera explained that it was more of a nurse coordinator and case management role. It sounded like a great opportunity to learn something different, so I accepted the position. 

I trained in Thoracic Surgery, EndoSurg, UroSurg, and Symptom Management during the pandemic. I ended up floating around a lot and got to experience what each department was like. I finally landed here at Symptom Management, and I've been enjoying it so far.

Long route to how I got here!

So, were you part of the float pool?

Yeah, I was. I think I was in the float pool for about two years. I really enjoyed the float pool because I got to meet so many people and dip my feet in all these different clinics. I learned so much, but I wanted a more consistent schedule. With a baby and family, it was the better option.

You mentioned you've been enjoying your time in Symptom Management. What do you find most rewarding about your role?

I’m actually really enjoying managing different symptoms. When I was floating around, I focused on one area at a time, like GI or lung. Now I have the opportunity to help patients across many different disease groups, so every day is a little different. I enjoy the variety and the chance to support patients throughout their journey.

I also really like our team. They are the most empathetic, kind, and helpful people.

I want to circle back to the first question. We talked about where you grew up, but tell me more about your family, your extended family, what they call the nuclear family these days.

We grew up in an apartment in the Tenderloin. My parents and our family lived in one apartment.

One thing I remember well is taking my grandfather to his appointments at the Curry Senior Center in the Tenderloin and helping translate for him sometimes.

It's funny because my grandpa has a very distinct feature on his back, and one time I was taking care of a patient at Kaiser, and for some reason we talked about the Tenderloin and my parents, and how my grandpa was going to the senior center, and he said, " Oh yeah, I was a doctor at the Curry Center.” And I was like, " Oh, do you remember my grandpa? He had a very distinct feature on his back. And then he was like, yeah, I do.

And I was like, "Wow”.  At that moment, it kind of felt like a full-circle moment.

Do you have any siblings? 

I have a younger sister who is two years younger than me. She's an accountant.

You have a baby. How old is she?

She's 10 months old. Super active-crawling everywhere and climbing on everything. She started daycare more recently, and so far, she's been doing well. She's a handful for them! (laughs)

But it's been so much fun watching her grow. It's amazing seeing her learn new things. It's like, "Oh my gosh, you learned how to clap!" or "Oh my gosh, you learned how to stand on your own!"

What do you like to do outside of work?

Before I had a baby or after? (laughs)

Before we had a baby, my husband and I loved to travel. We'd take trips to national parks, go hiking, and camp.

We've been to Yosemite, Moab, Zion, and a few other parks. We've also done local camping trips to places like Santa Cruz and Pinnacles. We golf on the weekends, and I used to run, work out, and rock climb, although I haven't been back since the pandemic.

After the baby, though, I've mostly been cleaning and cooking. (laughs)

I haven't really had much time to do a lot since we’re with the baby 24/7.

Now that she's in daycare, I have a little more time on my days off to get back to the things I enjoy. I'm trying to run more because I love running with our dog. I'm also trying to spend more time with him because he's been a little neglected these past 10 months—and he's definitely jealous!

His name is Ford, and he's two years old. He has wiry hair, but he's mostly a pit bull mixed with a Bichon and cattle dog, so he's really fluffy.

We adopted him from the shelter two years ago, and there's actually a funny story behind that.

After we adopted Ford, we took him to a few training classes. One day, the trainer said, "Your dog looks really familiar. A guy I play volleyball with has a dog that looks just like him." It turned out that dog was Ford's brother!

There were five puppies in the litter at the SPCA. Later, his brother's owner spotted another dog at an estate sale that looked exactly like Ford—that turned out to be one of his sisters. Then that sister met another sibling at a pet playgroup. We eventually found the fifth sibling through a DNA test.

Now we've connected with all five siblings, and we get together once a year for a dog reunion so they can all play together.

What is your favorite national park?

 I would have to say, Zion National Park. 

What is a fun fact about you that might surprise your coworkers or at least like the larger DPM? 

I like to karaoke to Chinese music!

Do you have a favorite karaoke place in the city? 

My car! (laughs)

We used to go to karaoke with my friends at the Filmore. They had a couple of karaoke places. I'm not sure if they're still around because that was years ago.

If you could travel anywhere tomorrow, where would it be?

I would love to travel to Italy because I have family there, and I'd love to see them.

We've visited them a couple of times, but we haven't been back since we had our daughter. I'd love them to meet her and her to meet them.

Not quite yet, though—I don't think I'm ready to manage a 10-hour flight with her! (laughs) Maybe when she's a little older and a little easier to entertain.

Where did you go to elementary and middle school?

I went to Redding Elementary School.

Then I went to Roosevelt Middle School.

What is one of your go-to places when you eat out? 

One of my favorite spots in San Francisco is Perilla. Garlic noodles! In Alameda, we always go to this Italian place, Trebaco.