Our Story

When you enter our office, look for the smiles and listen for the laughter. Watch kids hugging the staff goodbye, and enjoy the feeling that now you’re part of our family.

Since 1977, La Mesa Pediatrics has provided exceptional pediatric care to one of the most family-friendly areas of San Diego. Dr. Philip Szold was a young Lieutenant Commander at the San Diego Naval Regional Medical Center, just finishing up his tour of duty, when he opened a small solo pediatric office in La Mesa. The families and medical community of San Diego’s East County quickly embraced the practice.

Dr. Richard Short joined him in 1992, and the practice continued to flourish. Drs. Szold and Short shared a mission to serve all children, including government-funded patients, a promise they stand by today. They also shared a talent and affinity for serving the unique needs of ADHD children. Together, they expanded La Mesa Pediatrics’ ADHD services, helping families obtain the specialized care they required from their same trusted pediatric office.

Forty years after first opening our doors, La Mesa Pediatrics features a growing team of 5 physicians and 3 nurse practitioners. We care for children from birth to 18 years old: well visits, sick visits, sports physicals, and everything in between.

A few more things to know about us:

We are dedicated to children and their families.

We understand that your kids are your greatest pride and responsibility.  We will assist with your parenting journey in any way we can. Our team has a broad range of medical experience and interests, assuring that you’ll find the practitioner that is just right for you.

We treat your family like our own.

We build our relationships with families as early as day one - beginning with in-hospital newborn visits at Sharp Grossmont Hospital or Mary Birch Hospital! We also understand how it feels to have a medical question or concern and want answers. When you call with a worry, we make sure you get the chance to speak with an actual member of our staff or an on-call physician, day or night. Whenever possible, we also make every effort to try and see sick patients the same day they call in.

We understand your busy life.

While children are a parent’s first concern, the fact is that life and work don’t always cooperate! We accommodate your family’s schedule by offering expanded office hours, including after-school appointments, early mornings, and Saturdays, to make your life just a little bit easier. Call us to schedule your child's appointment.

We go the extra mile for our patients.

We believe the thoughtful details matter. We have a Patient Ambassador, ready to move mountains for you.

We have a diverse, experienced staff capable of treating the full range of pediatric needs.

Our physicians and staff are highly trained and dedicated to their fields. We bring decades of experience to caring for your child, and are ready for even the greatest challenges of pediatrics. For example, our clinic is proud to take the lead in San Diego with diagnosing and treating ADHD, and we have a very strong relationship with Rady Children’s Hospital.

We are dedicated to our local community - and we show it!

The La Mesa Pediatrics staff also serves Borrego Community Health, a federally-qualified nonprofit community health facility. In 2013 we were approached by Borrego Community Health about the overflow of pediatric patients in east county. Through our partnership with Borrego Community Health, we enable government-insured children to be seen by the same team of physicians as those with private insurance, providing continuity of care and excellent health care opportunities for the youngest members of our society. 

Our providers and staff volunteer widely in the community; you’ll find us at local health fairs, teaching parent education classes, serving on the boards of local children’s organizations, volunteering at camps for children facing illness, and more. We welcome the chance to speak with local schools, feel free to contact us anytime!

Despite this growth and success over our forty year history, our core values have remained the same. We are dedicated to offering your children highly personalized, experienced and attentive medical care, and to providing you with the support you need as you guide your children to become  happy, healthy and productive adults.