Glenn Diekmann

About

My career path was decidedly nontraditional.

I was the first member of my family to attend college. I briefly attended UC Irvine as a BioSci major in 1987 with the objective of getting into medical school and becoming a doctor. However, I soon left after realizing I was not fully committed to my studies. A lifelong musician, I learned the art and science of recording music and worked as an audio recording engineer for nearly ten years. A undying desire to practice medicine brought me back to school. I started taking GED classes at my local community college and finally returned to UC Irvine in 2000 with a deep conviction to excel academically. My grades were very good but perhaps not the very best. My MCAT score was not stellar but high enough to get me into a medical school (I hoped). I graduated magna cum laude in 2004 with a degree in BioSci.

I was told by my student counselor at UC Irvine that I did not stand a chance of getting into a top medical school and should not bother trying. This strengthened my resolve more than anything else could have. I applied to more than thirty schools and was accepted to two in the US News top five. I chose to go to the University of California, San Francisco.

Medical school was intimidating. My fellow students were even more brilliant than I had imagined and I had to work hard to succeed. I discovered a passion for orthopedic surgery during my first year—rarely in my life have I had a moment of such clarity and destiny. I persevered and graduated in the top quartile of my class in 2004.

I stayed at UC San Francisco for a five-year residency in orthopedic surgery. After that, I completed a one-year fellowship in orthopedic trauma at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. In 2010, I took my present position as an orthopedic trauma surgeon at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Baldwin Park, California, where I am also the Assistant Chief of Orthopedics.

I enjoy mentoring and have mentored several high school and college students interested in a career in medicine.

Personal Interests

I enjoy spending time with my wife and three kids. I also enjoy traveling, being outdoors, staying fit, amateur astronomy, astrophotography, and music.