This Arizona native, the latest addition to CPCMG, is a world traveler, speaks three languages and is a mom to an active toddler! Meet Dr. Mikhal Schiffer, pediatrician at CPCMG Temecula Parkway.

Why did you decide to become a pediatrician?
I love science and medicine, and kids are my favorite people in the world, so pediatrics seemed like a natural choice for me. I considered emergency medicine because I enjoy fast paced environments, procedures and multitasking but there is a lot of that within pediatrics as well. Before I joined CPCMG in January 2018, I spent three years as a pediatrician in Colorado.

What do you enjoy most about working with children, parents and families?
I enjoy watching children grow and develop into their own person. I love seeing their personalities emerge. I love helping parents and caregivers feel supported in the journey of raising their children into healthy adults and helping them reach their full potential.

What is some important life advice (beyond what you learned in medical school) that you can give to parents for their children?
Just do the best you can and don’t drive yourself crazy. We are all just trying to survive!

How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle? Any tips to share?
I’ve been trying to eat at home more. When you prepare your own food you know what you are putting in it and are less likely to add the extra butter, sugar, etcetera, that restaurants add to make food taste better. Also, keep junk food and sugary drinks out of the house – just don’t even buy it. If you don’t have it as an option then you (and your kids) won’t consume it.

Where did you grow up? If you didn’t grow up in the San Diego area, what brought you to southern California?
I grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and went to college at the University of Arizona in Tucson. After college I wanted to go somewhere outside of Arizona for medical school and got accepted to University of California San Diego School of Medicine. I asked to defer for a year so I could backpack throughout South America and they allowed that, so I knew it was the right school for me! I met my husband in San Diego and his family lives throughout southern California, so when we had the opportunity to come back to the area, we jumped on it!

What do you like to do in your spare time? What are some favorite pastimes or hobbies?
I love to travel and learn new languages. I speak Hebrew, Spanish, some Portuguese and have recently downloaded the Duolingo app to learn French. I studied abroad in Spain when I was in high school, backpacked throughout Argentina and Brazil for a year after college and volunteered as an EMT in Israel briefly before medical school.

Tell us about your family. Do you have children? What do you like to do as a family?
My husband Josh is a city planner – he earned his Master of City Planning at San Diego State University. We have a 13-month-old daughter, Talia, who is very curious and very social. She loves to escape (the room, the house, her playpen) and explore the outdoors (she loves to dig in the dirt). She also waves and blows kisses to anyone she meets! As a family, we enjoy traveling, eating out and especially hiking.