November 14, 2008

Turlock - “Neurology is almost like a detective novel,” says Lin Ma, MD. ”Every patient is unique and it’s always a challenge.”

Dr. Ma recently joined the medical staff at Emanuel Medical Center and the Turlock office of Narges

Pazouki, MD. She practices general neurology and specializes in a technique that uses EMGs to localize a

nerve problem.

 

“EMGs have been around for 100 years but computers are much better today,” Dr. Ma says. “It can be a very helpful technique. For example, if you have numbness in the hand, it could be from a pinched nerve at the wrist, the elbow, the shoulder or the neck. The EMG helps you make the correct diagnosis. If you misdiagnose the problem and do unnecessary surgery, it won’t help the patient.”  

Originally from China, Dr. Ma planned to study marine biology but after her mother became ill, she headed to medical school with thoughts of becoming an oncologist. In her fifth year she attended grand rounds during a clinical rotation in neurology and was so inspired by her professor that she changed her course.

Dr. Ma earned her medical degree and did a neurology residency at Beijing Medical University in China. She interned in the Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, in Farmington in 1994. She completed a neurology residency and fellowship at UC Davis’ East Bay Neurology Residency Program. 

Dr. Ma has been on staff at Aurora Medical Group in New Berlin, Wisconsin, since 1999 and is board certified in Neurology and Electrodiagnostic Medicine. Prior to that she was chief neurologist for Contra Costa Regional Medical Center in Martinez. The family residency program there honored her for teaching excellence in 1999. She also has worked as a staff neurologist at the David Grant USAF Medical Center at Travis AFB.  

 Dr. Ma’s office is located at 1801 Colorado Avenue, Suite 210 in Turlock. Appointments can be made at

(209) 216-3570.