Sara G. Ptasnik, MD
Not accepting new patients

Sara G. Ptasnik, MD

(she/her)
  • Integrative Medicine|
  • Pediatrics|
  • Internal Medicine
Center for East-West Medicine | 2336 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 301, Santa Monica, CA 90404

About

Dr. Sara Ptasnik completed her undergraduate training at USC, receiving a BA in Neuroscience with minors in Sculpture and Natural Science. As an undergraduate, she began exploring concepts of Eastern philosophy and mind-body practices and researched the effects of exercise on neuroplasticity in Parkinson's Disease. Dr. Ptasnik completed her medical studies at Keck School of Medicine of USC and residency at LAC+USC Medical Center and is now double board-certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.

Training at a large County hospital provided great insight into the impact of psychosocial and socioeconomic factors on health and disease at all ages, as well as the importance of maintaining balance as a healthcare provider. In residency, she also completed the Integrative Medicine in Pediatrics Curriculum through the Andrew Weil Center and studied the benefits of guided imagery and group medical visits on lifestyle changes in adolescents with obesity.

Dr. Ptasnik recently completed her Integrative Medicine Community Fellowship through the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine, where she has deepened her integrative health knowledge with a focus on Traditional Chinese Medicine, learning essential TCM theory and application in a biomedical model. She has joined as a part time staff physician at the Center for East-West Medicine, with a focus on integrative pediatric and adolescent care. She also works as an integrative medicine consultant and pediatrician at Chinatown Service Center (CSC), a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides medical care for the underserved population in the downtown and San Gabriel Valley area in Los Angeles. She is dedicated to education in the academic and community settings and also teaches Qigong through CSC and locally.

Languages

English

Education

Medical Board Certifications

Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2020
Pediatrics, American Board of Pediatrics, 2020

Fellowship

East West Medicine/Integrative Health, UCLA Center for East West Medicine Community Fellowship, 2023

Residency

Internal Medicine, LAC + USC Medical Center, 2020

Degree

MD, Keck School of Medicine of the USC, 2016

Hospital Affiliations

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center

Medical Services

Areas of Focus

Insurance

  • Aetna
  • Anthem Blue Cross
  • Blue Shield of California
  • Centivo
  • Cigna
  • First Health
  • Health Net of California
  • Interplan (part of HealthSmart)
  • L.A. Care
  • Medicare Advantage
  • MultiPlan
  • UFCM Health System
  • Prime Health Services
  • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
  • TRICARE
  • UnitedHealthcare

The list of health care plans above may not be comprehensive and could change. 
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