Perlman Medical Offices

Amelia Eastman, DO, is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation. She is a physician who meets with patients at different types of UC San Diego Health clinics to help with physical impairments and rehabilitation. She uses a hands-on approach to diagnose injury and illness and encourage the body's natural tendency for good health. Dr. Eastman does not prescribe pain medication. Her treatments focus on multimodal solutions including physical or occupational therapy, injection options, equipment or bracing, or technology to enhance recovery.

Dr. Eastman has trained in both integrative medicine and conventional medicine, allowing her to integrate all aspects of health in the best method for each patient. She is a member of the UC San Diego Center for Integrative Medicine.

She specializes in the nonsurgical treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, including neck pain, back pain, and sports injuries. Her work in physical medicine and rehabilitation also includes meeting with patients before and after joint replacements or other surgery to decrease pain, increase movement and regain function.

In her work at the pain clinic (appointments by referral only), she specializes in using osteopathic manual medicine to ease muscle pain through techniques including counterstrain and muscle energy.

She often incorporates exercise into her prescriptions for health. She is a member of the Exercise and Physical Activity Resource Center (EPARC) at the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology.

Her research interests include sports concussion, back pain, and a variety of non-opioid pain management options. She is involved in numerous research trials in the areas of pain, functional decline and exercise.

Dr. Eastman completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine and a residency in preventive medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. She earned her medical degree from Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in Pomona, Calif.

Before attending medical school, Dr. Eastman worked as a river guide and has traveled and lived in South America and New Zealand. In addition, she has lived and worked in health care in Africa, Australia and Cuba.

Fidés Julian, DACM, is a licensed acupuncturist who cares for patients through the Center of Integrated Medicine at UC San Diego. She uses a wide range of acupuncture techniques, including orthopedic and sports injury treatment, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Kiiko Matsumoto Japanese-style acupuncture (KMS), electroacupuncture and various adjunctive therapies.

Dr. Julian collaborates with multidisciplinary health care teams to provide holistic care and coordinate referrals to other health care providers. She specializes in family medicine, autoimmune conditions and pain management including chronic migraine headaches, neck, shoulder and back pain conditions. Her treatment approach integrates evidence based protocols informed by current research, orthopedic and neurological examination, with treatment plans that evolve with patients' needs.

In addition to patient care, she is a clinical preceptor, mentoring medical students and residents on their pain rotation. She is also a clinic supervisor at Pacific College of Health and Science where she oversees interns and assistants in delivering safe and effective acupuncture treatments to a diverse patient population.

Dr. Julian completed her Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine at Pacific College of Health and Science in San Diego. She also has a Master of Science degree in traditional Oriental medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in Chicago and San Diego.

She is a member of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, American Society of Acupuncturists and California State Oriental Medical Association.

Dr. Jihyung Lee is an acupuncturist and researcher with clinical and laboratory expertise in immunology, integrative medicine and Five Element Acupuncture. He received his PhD in bioscience and biotechnology in Korea and later pursued immunology research training at UC San Diego, focusing on cAMP signaling in dendritic cells and T-cell differentiation. Bridging scientific inquiry with clinical practice, Dr. Lee completed his Master of Science in acupuncture and Oriental medicine and is trained in distal acupuncture systems, trigger point therapy and herbal medicine.

Dr. Lee's clinical approach emphasizes neuro-immune regulation through precise, minimally invasive distal point systems. His background working with patients experiencing chronic stress, emotional dysregulation, and autonomic imbalance informs his understanding of the psychological factors that influence immune and pain pathways. Dr. Lee currently provides patient care at the UC San Diego Lupus Center, focusing on autoimmune modulation, chronic pain, and complex systemic dysregulation within an integrative medical framework.

Ariel Portera, DO, is a physician who provides primary care for patients of all ages with a special interest in women's health, integrative medicine and nutrition. She also performs inpatient and outpatient osteopathic manipulative treatment – a hands-on approach to treating a wide variety of illnesses and musculoskeletal injuries.

Providing general integrative medicine consults through the Center for Integrative Medicine, she utilizes lifestyle medicine to address the root cause of chronic disease. She also integrates and frequently refers to other complementary modalities including but not limited to acupuncture, massage, mindfulness and culinary medicine.

She enjoys treating the mind, body and spirit to optimize health and wellness, and partnering with patients on their health care journey.

Dr. Portera completed a residency in family medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine and she earned her medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton, Fla. She is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Academy of Integrative Health Medicine, the Institute for Functional Medicine and the American Osteopathic Association.

In her free time, Dr. Portera enjoys spending time with family and friends, travel, hiking, cooking and meditation.