UKIAH, Calif. — MCHC Health Centers is pleased to expand its medical care for children with the addition of pediatrician Dr. Joselyn Ye Tay.

MCHC Chief Medical Officer Justin Ebert, PA-C, said, “We are elated to have Dr. Joselyn Ye Tay join our pediatric team in Lake and Mendocino Counties. She brings an impressive clinical skill set and speaks fluent Spanish, English and Cantonese, with some Portuguese and Mandarin. I am confident that she will be an amazing asset to our pediatric team and our community.” Dr. Ye Tay will see patients at Hillside Health Center in Ukiah and Lakeview Health Center in Lakeport. 

In becoming a pediatrician, Ye Tay fulfills one of her lifelong goals. She says she has always enjoyed the energy of youngsters, and as a medical provider, she prefers the uplifting surroundings of pediatric medical settings. “Kids are so resilient and so fun to interact with,” she said, and she likes the variety and the continuity of care the specialty offers. Ye Tay values the breadth of pediatrics, which combines clinical care, preventive medicine, research, and procedures, while also providing the opportunity to build long-term relationships with children and their caregivers and make a lasting impact on their health and development.

 One of her particular clinical interests is pediatric dermatology, including atopic dermatitis, vascular birthmarks, skin eruptions and rashes, neurocutaneous and genetic disorders.

Before joining MCHC, Ye Tay served as pediatric chief resident at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawai’i. She completed her pediatric residency at Nicklaus Children's Hospital (formerly Miami Children's Hospital) and attended medical school at Cayetano Heredia University in Lima, Peru.

Having worked throughout her medical career with people from a variety of cultural backgrounds, Ye Tay appreciates the diverse community in Mendocino and Lake counties. While serving as chief resident, Ye Tay balanced leadership responsibilities while caring for patients from across the entire Pacific, including Polynesia and Micronesia, many of whom traveled long distances to seek care. In her pediatric residency in Miami, she worked with a large Hispanic population, with patients from the local area and from the Caribbean and Latin America. These experiences helped shape her approach to medicine and gave her a deep appreciation for the diversity of the communities she serves. She believes that being able to connect with families not only through language but also through an understanding of their cultural backgrounds allows her to provide better patient care.

Wherever she practices, Ye Tay appreciates the bonds she can form with pediatric patients and their caregivers. Watching children grow provides many opportunities to positively affect their well-being. “If you are able to identify an issue or help make a positive change in their childhood, that will make a difference in their future,” she said.

Ye Tay’s own upbringing gave her an appreciation for connecting with people from many cultures and backgrounds. Having lived in both Peru and China, she developed an appreciation for different cultures, languages and perspectives from an early age. “It is a blessing,” she said. “I feel like I share both the Latin American and Asian cultures. And it makes it easier to communicate and understand patients not only by speaking their own language, but by knowing the culture and the thoughts around it.”

Ye Tay said MCHC’s model of whole-person care also aligns with her approach to medicine. “I love the idea of providing comprehensive care to the whole family and being part of an interdisciplinary team that works together,” she explained. 

Growing up, Ye Tay spent many summers visiting family in San Francisco. She is excited that her move to Ukiah brings her closer to loved ones.  

Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, cooking Peruvian and Chinese food, and going to the gym. She is also learning to play pickleball.