John Rashkis

Dr. John Rashkis earned both his BS and MD at the highly regarded University of Toronto. Since his graduation, he has served healthcare facilities and emergency medical services in The County of Santa Clara in California, ultimately maintaining those relationships while also going into private practice. Early in his career, Dr. Rashkis took a position as an emergency physician on the staff of the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

In 1981, Dr. Rashkis left the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center to establish his own practice in Los Gatos, where he specialized in family medicine. Dr. Rashkis continued his work in emergency medicine, however, working on a part-time basis at the Alexian Brothers Hospital in San Jose.

Along with his private practice and emergency room duties, Dr. John Rashkis took the position of Medical Director for the paramedic system in The County of Santa Clara, a post he held for most of the 1980s. There, he worked closely with local Emergency Medical Services to develop the county's Trauma System Plan, a comprehensive strategy for dealing with serious injury or illness. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider traumatic injuries the leading cause of death for Americans aged 1 through 44, the establishment of trauma system plans is a critical element in maximizing the effectiveness of healthcare systems during the crucial time directly following a grave injury.

Dr. John Rashkis accepted an appointment to the staff of the Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, where he still serves. During his years at Good Samaritan Hospital, Dr. Rashkis has worked in a number of different capacities, including chairing the Department of Family Practice. A key initiative in which Dr. Rashkis was closely involved was the establishment of a Department of Hospitalist Medicine. This initiative recognized a new trend in delivering healthcare to medical center patients. Hospitalists are specialists who act as attending physicians for acutely ill patients during a hospital stay and manage their care. Dr. Rashkis continues to assist Good Samaritan Hospital in the management of this department.