UCSF Fresno’s success and growth are a direct result of the dedication and inspiration of our faculty, staff, residents, fellows, students, alumni, partners, donors and friends. In each issue of Focus, we introduce you to the people who contribute to the greatness of UCSF Fresno through informal interviews.
In this issue, we feature Stacy Sawtelle Vohra, MD, UCSF Fresno Assistant Dean for Graduate Medical Education (GME) and Designated Institutional Official (DIO), who served in these roles in an interim capacity since the Fall of 2022 and was appointed in September 2024.
Dr. Sawtelle Vohra began her career at UCSF Fresno in 2010 as an attending physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine. For the past 12 years, she has been part of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program leadership team and served as the Program Director from 2017 to 2024.
What is your hometown?
I grew up in Delavan, Wisconsin, a small town in southeastern Wisconsin. It is growing and the population is now over 8,500.
Where did you go to High School? Undergrad?
I went to Delavan-Darien High School. Go Comets! My graduating class had just over 150 students. I went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for both college and medical school. Our Interim Chief of Pediatrics Christine Nelson, MD, and Lin Li, MD, Associate Director for the UCSF San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education (SJV PRIME) are also alumni from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. My undergraduate majors were in Spanish and Microbiology.
Why did you choose UCSF Fresno in 2010?
I first learned about UCSF Fresno during my residency training at UCLA. My co-residents raved about their educational experiences as medical students rotating in the Emergency Department. Through a little research, I learned that the UCSF Fresno Emergency Medicine (EM) Residency Program was one of the first EM programs established in the western United States and that there were quite a few UCLA residency graduates working as faculty in Emergency Medicine at UCSF Fresno. UCSF Fresno was held in high regard by everyone I talked to and once I learned about the extraordinary communities in the Central Valley, I knew it would be an ideal place for me to start my career. I have benefitted from tremendous mentorship over the years at UCSF Fresno and appreciate the varied opportunities available to develop as a clinician educator.
Why did your current position at UCSF Fresno appeal to you?
I am deeply motivated by our mission to train physicians to care for the diverse communities in the Central Valley. Our medical education programs elevate the quality of health care and expand access within our community. Further strengthening and growing our already exceptional graduate medical education programs has tremendous potential to further our positive impact on the health of our community.
Why is teaching important to you?
Working with residents, fellows, and medical students at UCSF Fresno is incredibly rewarding. I value the collaborative nature of teaching and learning in medicine. Over the past 14 years, I have learned a great deal from my patients, faculty colleagues, the trainees and students I have worked with, and the extraordinary clinical staff at Community Regional Medical Center where I work in the Emergency Department. In addition to developing expertise within one's field, I strive to equip our future physicians with the tools that will help them thrive in their careers. Learning to navigate difficult situations, learning from mistakes, and cultivating resiliency are critical skills for our trainees to develop.
What are the most rewarding aspects of your job?
I love our team-based approach to care in the Emergency Department and greatly appreciate the shared commitment to medical education between UCSF Fresno and all our clinical partners. One of the most rewarding aspects of graduate medical education for me is when our trainees choose to start their faculty careers at UCSF Fresno or go out into the community to continue to serve the Central Valley.
What do you like to do in your off time?
My time outside of work is filled with my kids' activities. I love watching their school concerts and cheering them on at their sporting events.
