UCSF Fresno: 2024 Year in Review

The UCSF Fresno Parkmedic Program held its biannual Parkmedic Primary Certification Course for National Park Service rangers from across the country.

Former Interim Chief of UCSF Fresno OB-GYN Meg Autry, MD, established the first Access to Quality Health Care Symposium.

UCSF Fresno held a Health Disparities Summit led by Kamell Eckroth-Bernard, MD, UCSF associate professor of Surgery. High school students from Fresno Unified schools in the Practicing Justice in Healthcare Academy attended the summit.

UCSF Fresno’s Office of Health Career Pathways held Reaching Out to Aspiring Doctors  to provide information helpful to students interested in careers in medicine.

The second cohort of UCSF SJV PRIME students participated in the Match. Health and Human Services Region 9 director and Valley native Jeffrey Reynoso, DrPH, attended.

UCSF Fresno held the first Infectious Diseases Symposium. Nearly 150 people participated in this continuing medical education event.

Residents and faculty at UCSF Fresno launched Caring for the Caregiver, a grant-funded peer support program.

UCSF Fresno held the second SJV PRIME Day. Four classes of students in the UCSF SJV PRIME came together with faculty, staff, partners, friends and donors.

Community Health System and UCSF Fresno teamed up for the first Community and Cultural Engagement Day  at Community Regional Medical Center.

The Central Valley Community Foundation hosted a conversation with UCSF Fresno to increase awareness of physician training, improving health and health equity in the San Joaquin Valley.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Rep. Jim Costa visited UCSF Fresno for a conversation on health care workforce shortages and announced a collaboration between UCSF Fresno and Upstream USA for patient-centered contraceptive care in Fresno County.

UCSF Fresno and UCSF Fresno Mobile HeaL participated in the Pride Festival at Fresno City College.

On June 13, UCSF Fresno celebrated more than 100 graduates who completed training this year — 72% of them stayed in California and 44% stayed in the Central Valley. 

Over the summer, more than 100 interns and fellows started training at UCSF Fresno.

Christine Ann Nelson, MD, named Interim Chief of Pediatrics at UCSF Fresno

Christopher Downer, MD, FACOG, was named Chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN) at UCSF Fresno and Vice Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Services at the UCSF School of Medicine in January 2024. Dr. Downer’s appointment was effective in July 2024.  

The sixth cohort of SJV PRIME students, Class of 2028, was admitted this year.

UCSF Fresno Alzheimer & Memory Center celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2024. 

SJV PRIME students from the Classes of 2025 and 2026 joined UCSF Fresno Mobile HeaL to provide health screenings and wound care to the unsheltered at the Poverello House in Fresno.

The Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators announced the Academy Class of 2024 including Joseph Sanford, MD, Department of Neurology, and  Geetha Sivasubramanian, MD, FIDSA, Department of Medicine.  

Stacy Sawtelle Vohra, MD, was named UCSF Fresno Assistant Dean for Graduate Medical Education (GME) and Designated Institutional Official (DIO)

UCSF Fresno Clinical Skills Lab and Simulation Center staff provided training for nearly 3,400 clinical skills participants. Renovation of the skills lab and simulation center started in September to meet evolving needs. Training has been moved temporarily while reconfiguration is underway.  

UCSF Fresno held the first Cystic Fibrosis Family Education Day

The UCSF Fresno Department of Emergency Medicine and Residency Program celebrated its 50^th anniversary

UCSF Fresno Mobile HeaL cared for more than 7,000 patients, conducted over 5,600 health screenings, and administered approximately 2,000 vaccines across 400 mobile clinics in Fresno County.

UCSF Fresno Campus Life Services added five new clubs, helped introduce a resident peer support resource (Caring for the Caregiver), invested in new wellness equipment for Anchor Days, attracted nearly 300 campus community members for Appreciation Day, and boasted over 90 participants in the annual Step-Challenge who walked for a combined total of 34,029,027 steps.

UCSF Fresno held 10 continuing medical education and community events in 2024 with over 2,300 people participating in person or online.

The Office of Health Career Pathways provided support to over 200 college pathway students and more than 800 college-prep students and another 470 students at the ROAD Conference for a total of nearly 1,500 students.

For the first time, in 2024, the Educator Essentials certificate was offered in-person at the UCSF Fresno Regional Campus. Nearly 80 faculty participated in day one in Fresno this first year and over half of them completed day two. Completion of eight workshops over two days and an experiential component is required to complete the Educator Essentials certificate. Faculty Development including Educator Essentials builds our community of educators and enhances teaching skills within our faculty to support the next generation of physicians. 

Mike O’Shaughnessy, MD

Mike O’Shaughnessy, MD, faculty in the UCSF Fresno Department of OB-GYN since 1992, passed away in January.

Dr. O’Shaughnessy was our principal urogynecologist. He was tirelessly devoted to patients and a stalwart member of the OB-GYN Department.

Madeline “Maddie” Giegold, MD

Madeline “Maddie” Giegold, MD, PGY4, UCSF Fresno Emergency Medicine resident, passed away in July.

Dr. Giegold will be remembered for her commitment to racial and social justice, health equity, her love of the great outdoors, and her passion for environmental and wilderness medicine.

Betty Liao, PhD

Betty Liao, PhD, clinical psychologist, passed away in December.

Dr. Liao joined UCSF Fresno in 2016 as Director of Wellness and Mental Health and provided mental health support for our learners at UCSF Fresno.  

Dr. Liao made a significant impact at UCSF Fresno through her dedication and positive attitude.