If you, like me, were wondering how a guy like Dr. Conrad Murray, who had not bothered keeping up with his studies enough to continue his certification as a cardiologist, could become the personal physician to the King of Pop, it's instructive to look at Dr. Jagat Narula.
Most of you won't know that name, but his career illuminates the gap between what the public expects when they see "Dr." in front of a person's name and what is often the reality.
Within hours of the news breaking about Michael Jackson's death, attention started to turn toward one of the only eyewitnesses to the event: his personal physician.
Dr. Catherine Eng is medical director of On Lok, a nonprofit organization founded in the early 1970s by a group of citizens concerned about the plight of frail elders and the lack of long-term options in the community. Eng has always had an interest in health care for the elderly. In 1981, she joined On Lok as a staff physician, and in 1992 became medical director of the health plan. On Lok SeniorHealth is a comprehensive health plan that provides long-term care for eligible seniors living in San Francisco and Fremont.
