Esteban Lovato MD is the founder of La Loma Medical Office, Inc., both in Oakland, California (1996) and in Stockton, California (1999). He was born in Belen, New Mexico and raised in Jingletown in Oakland. His family is originally from Durango and Zacatecas, Mexico. He attended Lazaer and St. Elizabeth School in the Fruitvale District of Oakland. He then entered University of California at Berkeley where he studied Sociology and premedical studies. He then went to Chicago to earn an M.D. degree at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Upon graduation from Medical School, he chose to train in Internal Medicine in Oakland at Alameda County Medical Center, Highland Hospital.

Dr. Lovato chose Internal Medicine to provide primary care medical services to the local Fruitvale community as a way of giving back to the community. He also likes the challenge of practicing medicine. Dr. Lovato says, “I love medical practice because it keeps you thinking. When a patient has a set of symptoms you have to quickly put together a good differential diagnosis, and this is a constant challenge.” Regarding practicing in his old neighborhoods, he says, “I feel a sense of obligation to give back to the community, it’s what I love doing, contributing to improving peoples lives by practicing medicine.”

“So many people in this community, from those at the Spanish Speaking Citizen’s Foundation, and La Clinica de La Raza, to St. Elizabeth School, helped me overcome so much to achieve my dreams of becoming a doctor, that I was inspired to do the same for people.”  His approach to patient care is to strive give the best possible care for every single patient he encounters. He says, “I think patients appreciate when you listen intently and thoroughly, and then offer the best possible set of choices.”

Dr. Lovato is fluent in Spanish.  In his off time he enjoys reading, traveling, coaching basketball, and spending time with his wife and two children.