Acts of True Valor: Dr. Jimmy Hara’ s Lifelong Quest for Truth and Reconciliation( continued)
Dr. Hara is also known for his community service.“ One of my former patients at Kaiser called me and asked if I would like to become an LA City fire commissioner.” It was Eric Garcetti.“ He was my patient when he was a city council member, but he contacted me for the Commission when he was Mayor. In retrospect, I’ m so happy he didn’ t ask me to serve on the police commission. The only public comment we get is‘ oh thank you for saving our house, our puppy, things like that,” he noted wryly.
Another passion that Dr. Hara takes pride in is his antinuclear political activities.“ I’ ve been active with the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, with an affiliate organization PSR, Physicians for Social Responsibility where I was the Pacific Regional Director.” Dr. Hara helped found the Los Angeles chapter of PSR, and still serves on their board.
Dr. Jimmy Hara
a family doctor after passing the boards. Reminiscing, he recalled that,“ Not only did internal medicine have a written exam, but it also had an oral examination conducted by east coast professors who took great pride in making all of the west coast applicants cry.”
While at Long Beach Naval, he started moonlighting at Kaiser Inglewood. Later he was transferred to Kaiser La Cienega, and ultimately became residency director at the flagship operation in LA, Kaiser Sunset, where the specialties and fellowships expanded while Dr. Hara was in a lead role.“ We started a geriatric fellowship there. And then we started a sports medicine fellowship under the umbrella of family medicine,” he added. Next came a fellowship program in palliative care.
Married with two sons, Dr. Hara’ s wife was in the great peace march for global nuclear disarmament 30 years ago in Washington, DC. She brought along his sons who were five and eight years of age, respectively. Whether it is his service to the community in a time of COVID-19, or some other exacting circumstance, Dr. Jimmy Hara is a man of true valor.
If you look around Dean Hara’ s office in the College of Medicine, the walls are lined with every manner of recognition and thanks seemingly known to mankind. From an origin seemingly akin to being birthed and swaddled in a humble manger, Jimmy Hara was born to greatness.
Ultimately this gifted doctor born in an internment camp during the final wind-down of World War II became the designated institutional official for Southern California Kaiser Permanente. He remained Resident Director for 30 years.
Dr. Hara’ s pathway to CDU was set in motion when he was appointed Chair of the Song-Brown Healthcare and Workforce Policy Commission under the Office of Statewide Planning and Development headed by Dr. David Carlisle. Angela Minniefield was a senior staff member, he recalled. He also had a working relationship with the director of the PA program at LA County / USC, now-mayor Karen Bass.
“ David contacted me about the time I was retiring from Kaiser and asked me,‘ why don’ t you come down to CDU and restart our family medicine program?’ So, I’ ve been on the ground floor for twelve years.”
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 32