This year was one of reflection as we celebrated our 50th anniversary. In addition, 2025 was a year of collaboration and growth as we strengthen existing partnerships and establish new ones to expand medical education, patient care, research, and community service. Our Year in Review highlights some of the moments that define our community. Together, these activities reflect the dedication, partnership, and spirit that define UCSF Fresno and set the stage for the year ahead.
January
UCSF Fresno kicked off its Golden Anniversary in 2025, celebrating 50 years of training physicians and improving health in the San Joaquin Valley. A 50th anniversary webpage was launched featuring congratulations and warm wishes from colleagues, elected and community leaders, and partners. From Vision to 50 Years of Medical Education and Regional Impact tells the story of the prominent Fresno figure who helped make UCSF Fresno a reality. Later in the year, a UCSF news story and video featured some of the people who are continuing UCSF Fresno’s legacy. The yearlong celebration included several events starting with a staff appreciation lunch in January.
The San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education (SJV PRIME) Class of 2027 started clinical training at UCSF Fresno after completing 18 months of education at UCSF in San Francisco.
February
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors recognized the Fresno County Department of Public Health for receiving the 2024 California State Association of Counties Challenge Award for the Rural Mobile Health Program, including UCSF Fresno Mobile Health and Learning (Mobile HeaL).
March
The 10th Annual UCSF Fresno Education Symposium was held March 14. This year's education symposium included Part 1 of the Educator Essentials certificate as well as poster presentations over the lunch hour.
The sixth Reaching Out to Aspiring Doctors (ROAD) conference, “Shaping the Future – Insights for Tomorrow’s Professional,” was held over two days with the first day aimed at pre-health educators and the second day for students from the Valley who are interested in careers in health and medicine.
UCSF Fresno celebrated Match Day with SJV PRIME students and the campus community on March 21. We are proud to state that we filled all available residency and fellowship positions.
We partnered with Inspire Health Medical Group to celebrate Doctors Day with lunch and bundt cakes on March 30.
April
UCSF Fresno attended VA Fresno’s 75th anniversary event on April 11. UCSF Fresno was established in 1975 with support from the California Legislature and Veterans Administration. VA Fresno was our first home until the UCSF Fresno medical education building opened in 2005.
Congressmen Adam Gray and Jim Costa convened a meeting of the Valley Coalition for Medical Education at UCSF Fresno on April 16.
The second UCSF Fresno 101 was held on April 23. UCSF Fresno 101 is a crash course on UCSF Fresno’s teaching, research, and pathway programs for staff of Valley local, state and federal elected officials. Staff listened to presentations and got hands-on experiences with clinical skills activities.
Stephanie Huerta Alvarez, MPH, on behalf of the UCSF Fresno Office of Health Career Pathways, and Kulraj Dhah, DO, were recognized among the Fresno Compact’s Business Education Partnership Award winners.
May
UCSF Fresno Vice Dean Jose M. Barral Sanchez, MD, PhD, started at UCSF Fresno on May 1. The newly created role oversees medical education, faculty development, research growth, and the expanding partnership with UC Merced. With a career dedicated to academic leadership, faculty mentorship, and community-driven medical education, Barral Sanchez is well-positioned to advance UCSF Fresno’s expansion as a regional campus.
UCSF Fresno took part in the beam signing for UC Merced’s medical education building, which when it opens, will be home to SJV PRIME+, the eight-year BS to MD program in collaboration with UC Merced and UCSF.
UCSF Fresno held the third SJV PRIME Day on May 6, a day when all four classes of students in the UCSF SJV PRIME come together at UCSF Fresno with faculty and staff to network and share updates with partners, friends, and donors.
Elected leaders and partners joined UCSF Fresno for a reception on May 9 to celebrate our 50th anniversary, welcome UCSF Fresno’s new Vice Dean and tour the remodeled Clinical Skills and Simulation Center.
Initiated by City Councilmember Miguel Arias, the City of Fresno recognized UCSF Fresno for 50 years of health, service, education, and research, with a special tribute to UCSF Fresno Mobile HeaL on May 22, which was proclaimed UCSF Fresno Day.
On May 28, the first CAR T-cell therapy patient was treated in the San Joaquin Valley by a team at Community Health System including Haifaa Abdulhaq, MD, director of Hematology at UCSF Fresno.
June
UCSF Fresno celebrated the Class of 2025 at its 50th Commencement Ceremony on June 12. Nearly 40% of graduates stayed in the Central Valley to provide care, teach the next generation or continue their education.
UCSF Fresno welcomed interns to campus with a weeklong orientation and onboarding that concluded with a clinical skills boot camp on June 20.
UCSF Fresno celebrated the career, achievements and lasting impact of Katherine A. Flores, MD, with a retirement party on June 25.
July
The Kent T. Yamaguchi, MD, Endowed Lectureship in Surgery honors Dr. Yamaguchi’s enduring commitment to surgical education, exceptional patient care, and his dedication to improving health in the Central Valley. In July, a lecture “Charting our Journey Ahead” featured guest presenter Craig Wagoner, President and CEO of Community Health System, a pivotal partner of UCSF Fresno that plays a vital role in advancing health care, improving outcomes and training physicians for the region.
August
UCSF Police Department’s K9 therapy dog, Nash, brought tail-wagging fun to UCSF Fresno’s Ice Cream Social and Wellness Day on Aug. 14.
UCSF Fresno Mobile HeaL partnered with the Marjaree Mason Center to provide care for survivors of domestic abuse and their families.
Dimitris A. Sakellariou, MBA, MSc, started as Chief Administrative Officer to oversee core business and operational functions at UCSF Fresno.
City of Fresno Councilmember Nelson Esparza recognized UCSF Fresno Mobile HeaL during National Immunization Awareness Month in August.
The UC Office of the President held an all-UC alumni event at UC alumni-owned Toca Madera Winery in Madera on Aug. 20 The Hire UC Alumni Career Fair took place the next day in Fresno. UCSF Fresno Vice Dean Barral Sanchez introduced keynote speakers UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz, and Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, two-time and three-time UC alumni, respectively.
September
UCSF Fresno held its 14th annual Mini Med School, “Trends in Preventive Medicine: Fact Vs. Fiction.” More than 550 people registered to attend in person or online.
UCSF PD K9 Therapy Dog, Nash, and Officer Steven Carter came back for an encore visit to UCSF Fresno in September during the monthly wellness event. Nash gave out lots of loveincluding to Sim Man in the Clinical Skills Center.
October
Marina Roytman was named one of the Marjaree Mason Center’s Top 10 Professional Women for her commitment to the medical profession and the community including establishing the UCSF Fresno Liver Expo seven years ago.
UC Merced hosted UCSF Fresno Department chiefs and managers on campus on Oct. 9 for the “One Medical Education Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley,” meeting.
A UCSF Fresno team participated in the American Heart Association's (AHA) Central Valley Heart and Stroke Walk. UCSF Fresno Vice Dean Barral Sanchez is on the Central Valley Chapter board of directors.
UCSF Fresno was honored to participate in a tour of Community Regional Medical Center along with Community Health System for Assemblymember David Tangipa. Community Regional, the primary training hospital for UCSF Fresno, has one of the busiest emergency departments in the nation. The downtown Fresno hospital is a safety-net hospital and the only Level 1 (highest level) trauma center between Los Angeles and Sacramento.
November
Community Health System received a $9 million award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to bring a dedicated hub in the Valley for cell and gene therapy clinical trials and FDA-approved treatments, the first and only in Central California. Haifaa Abdulhaq, MD, director of UCSF Fresno Hematology/Oncology is the principal investigator.
Several UCSF faculty at the Fresno Regional Campus were recognized at the Fresno Madera Medical Society’s annual gala on Nov. 21. Alexander Sherriffs, MD, received the Lifetime Achievement award. Amir Fathi, MD, was honored with the Community Service Award. Greg Simpson, MD, was installed as President. Anne Prentice, MD, was installed as Treasurer. Farah Karipineni, MD, Marina Rotyman, MD, and Joseph Sanford, MD, were among the 2026 Board of Governors.
December
On Dec. 12, we were honored to welcome UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz for a visit and tour of Community Regional Medical Center (CRMC), UCSF Fresno’s primary clinical training hospital. Thanks to Community Health System for a collaborative and insightful meeting as UC Merced and UCSF move our SJV PRIME+ and SJV PRIME programs forward.
This holiday season, UCSF Fresno staff came together and donated gifts to the Marjaree Mason Center as part of UCSF Fresno Public Safety’s toy drive. The gifts were delivered, helping bring joy, comfort, and a sense of normalcy to survivors of domestic abuse and their families.
2025 Fast Facts
The UCSF Fresno Clinical Skills and Simulation Center provided training for 3,275 learners.
UCSF Fresno Campus Life Services hosted popular Wellness Days averaging over 200 attendees, supported key appreciation events with 50th-anniversary polos, promoted the annual Step-Challenge with nearly 80 participants logging 26 million steps, awarded three Wellness Mini-Grants, added three new clubs, updated the digital displays, and coordinated 245 housing spots for trainees and medical students.
UCSF Fresno held 10 continuing medical education and community events, along with 12 continuing dental education events in 2025 with over 3,700 attendees participating in-person and online from across the country.
UCSF Fresno Mobile HeaL cared for approximately 5,400 patients at nearly 300 mobile clinics during 2025.
In Memory of
UCSF Fresno mourned the loss of community members this year. Our hearts and deepest sympathies go out to their family and friends.
Vipul Jain, MD, Chief of Medicine at UCSF Fresno, passed away in May. Jain was appointed Chief of Medicine at UCSF Fresno and Vice Chair of the UCSF Department of Medicine in September 2023. This appointment followed a year of service as Interim Chief and as Executive Vice Chief since 2018. A proud alumnus of the UCSF Fresno Internal Medicine Residency Program, he completed his Pulmonary and Critical Care fellowship at UC San Diego before returning to UCSF Fresno to join the faculty. Jain’s leadership, warmth, and unwavering commitment to our mission will be missed beyond measure. His legacy will endure through the countless lives he touched.
David Altman, MD, MBA, UCSF professor of Medicine and UCSF Fresno Associate Dean from 1989-1992, passed away in August. Our hearts and sympathies go out to his family and friends. Altman completed residency training in internal medicine at UCSF in 1974, served two years in the U.S. Army and returned to UCSF to join the faculty. During this time, he conducted clinical research of gastrointestinal manifestations of HIV/AIDS and helped establish the liver transplant program. Altman was quoted in The Fresno Bee, dated Jan. 23, 1989, “The San Joaquin Valley has traditionally been under-served. The need for physicians here is substantial, and we want to enhance the attractiveness of this area for medical practice. By encouraging an active medical education program in Fresno, we believe we will be able to encourage more physicians to practice in this area.” His words hold true today, and we are fulfilling the mission with 40% of our graduates staying in the Central Valley to practice.
Natalie Peña-Brockett, DO, PGY-1, Family and Community Medicine resident, passed away in October. Peña-Brockett was a Bakersfield native and high school teacher prior to attending medical school. Since joining UCSF Fresno earlier this year, it was apparent from the start that Natalie was an extraordinary person. Her kindness, dedication to serving her community, and passion for patient education were evident to everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.
