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News and Events
ACP Region III: Early Career Physicians –Clinical Vignette Winners
Congratulations to Dr. Miriam Hakim and Dr. Eric Mendez for their awards at the ACP Southern California Regional Meeting. Dr. Hakim took 1st place in the Region III: Early Career Physicians – Clinical Vignette category “Is a Perceived Non-Compliant Patient Really Non-Compliant? A Case of Refractory Hypothyroidism” and Dr. Mendez took 2nd place with his vignette ““Ovarian Vein Thrombosis: A Risk in Gender-Affirming Care?” October 2024.
The Lawrence S. Friedman Professor of Population Health Endowed Chair
Congratulation to Dr. Amy Sitapati who was awarded the inaugural appointment to the Lawrence S. Friedman Professor of Population Health Endowed Chair, effective retroactively July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2029. The vision for the Lawrence S. Friedman Professor of Population Health is to advance our San Diego local community’s health incorporating scalable technology enabled solutions valuing justice, equity, and inclusion. In order to inform the national agenda in population health, we will demonstrate how digital innovation and implementation science drive improvement in healthcare outcomes for the common good.
Breaking Barriers, Shattering Glass: Women in Medicine Month
Dr. Crystal Wiley Cene was interviewed and featured in UC San Diego Today, "Breaking Barriers, Shattering Glass: Women in Medicine Month" where she among other women interviewed were recognized for their impactful contributions, advocacy and mentorship.
2024 GIM appointment Permanent Chief
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Ottar Lunde as Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine, effective July 1, 2024.
2024 UC San Diego Health Maintains Top Quality Care Status by Vizient
UC San Diego Health has been honored as a top performer for Vizient’s 2024 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Performance Award, marking the sixth consecutive year the health system has achieved this prominent distinction. This award places UC San Diego Health among the top academic medical centers in the nation, highlighting its exceptional commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. This sustained excellence recognizes the region’s only academic medical center’s mission of advancing health care standards and outcomes at the highest level.
2024 SoCal III Chapter Laureate Award
Congratulations to Dr. Simerjot Jassal who was awarded the 2024 SoCal II Chapter Laureate Award. This award is presented to exceptional Chapter members who have demonstrated, by their example and conduct, an abiding commitment to excellence in medical healthcare, education, or research, and in distinguished service and leadership to their community.
UC San Diego Health Ranks No. 1 in San Diego, Top 20 in the Nation
UC San Diego Health has once again secured the No. 1 ranking in San Diego, according to the 2024-2025 U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” survey, and has also received “Honor Roll” designation, a distinction awarded to only 20 hospitals in the nation for exceptional patient care.
2024 GIM Dr. Lawrence Friedman Mentorship Award
Congratulations to Dr. Lawrence Ma, who was honored with the 3rd Annual Lawrence Friedman Mentorship Award. This award is bestowed to an individual in the Division of General Internal Medicine who has demonstrated outstanding mentoring in the domains of clinical, research, and education to trainees or early career faculty during the past year.
2024 Annual Department of Medicine Faculty Awards
Congratulations to Dr. Simerjot Jassal, who was awarded the 3rd Annual Department of Medicine Excellence in Faculty Mentorship in Education. This award recognizes gifted teachers who have consistently provided mentorship to junior faculty who aim to dedicate a substantial portion of their work to medical education and who assist in their career development within the medical education realm.
2023-2024 Graduating House Staff Teaching Awards – Continuity Clinic
Congratulations to Dr. Melissa Wong for being nominated by the Internal Medicine graduating residents to be a recipient of the 2023-2024 Graduating House Staff Teaching Awards – Continuity Clinic for her excellence and dedication to teaching.
Being named a “Top Doc” in San Diego Magazine’s annual “Physicians of Exceptional Excellence” survey is a coveted honor among physicians across the county. Congratulations Dr. Heather Hofflich, Dr. Simerjot Jassal, Dr. Steven Li, Dr. Marleen Millen & Dr. Ryan Moran who were recognized among San Diego County's best doctors by their peers!
2023 GIM Dr. Lawrence Friedman Mentorship Award
The Department sponsors an annual mentorship award in remembrance of the impact of Dr. Lawrence Friedman and his pivotal role in developing a future generation of physician leaders in the Division of GIM. The 2023 GIM Faculty awardee of the Dr. Lawrence Friedman Mentorship Award is Dr. Heather Hofflich. Dr. Hofflich was nominated by her peers for her outstanding leadership, mentorship, and impact in our division and department.
UC San Diego Health Recognized by Vizient as 2023 Top Performer
UC San Diego Health has been recognized as a top performer in the 2023 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Ranking by Vizient, Inc. for its excellence in delivering high-quality patient care. This achievement represents the fifth consecutive year that UC San Diego Health has been ranked among the top ten academic health systems in the United States.
UC San Diego Health Ranks No. 1 in San Diego, Makes National Honor Roll
UC San Diego Health has once again ranked No. 1 in San Diego, according to the 2023-2024 U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” survey, placing it among the nation’s best health care providers. For the first time in the academic medical center’s history, UC San Diego Health was also placed on the 2023-2024 “Best Hospitals National Honor Roll,” a distinction awarded to only 22 hospitals nationwide that are recognized for outstanding patient care.
2023 Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicice Award
Congratulations to Dr. Simerjot Jassal for receiving the 2023 Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, presented by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation.
2023 UC San Diego Health Sciences Women Leadership Award
Congratulations to Dr. Marlene Millen for receiving the 2023 Health Sciences Women Leadership award! The Office of Faculty Affairs (OFA) recognizes the leadership and extraordinary accomplishments of women leaders with the annual Health Sciences Women Leadership Award. The recipients are honored at the Annual Celebration for UC San Diego Health Sciences New Women Faculty reception.
2022-2023 Graduating House Staff Teaching Awards
Congratulations to Dr. Unna Albers, Dr. Namita Sachdev, Dr. Tony Lopez, and Dr. Amy Sitapati for receiving the 2022-2023 Graduating House Staff Teaching Awards for thier dedication and excellence in the continuing education of medical house staff.
Medical Staff Physician Professionalism Award
Congratulations to Dr. Lawrence Ma for receiving the Medical Staff Physician Professionalism Award for the month of May 2023. Dr. Ma elevates our medical community by modeling the core values of quality, caring, integrity, respectfulness, teamwork, and promoting a culture of safety.
More than 100 UC San Diego Health physicians in 46 specialties were named “Top Docs” in the annual San Diego Magazine “Physicians of Exceptional Excellence” survey. Congratulations Dr. Marlene Millen, Dr. Amy Sitapati & Dr. Lawrence Ma who were recognized among San Diego County's best doctors by their peers!
UC San Diego Health Recognized by Vizient as 2022 Top Performer
UC San Diego Health has been recognized as a top performer in the 2022 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Ranking by Vizient, Inc. UC San Diego Health is one of a few members in the “Comprehensive Academic Medical Center” cohort to be recognized for excellence in delivering high-quality care. This achievement represents the fourth consecutive year that UC San Diego Health has been ranked among the top ten academic health systems in the United States.
Dr. Lynette Cederquist: Muriel Jeannette Whitehill Chair in Bio-Medical Ethics endowed chair, in School of Medicine, effective as of May 1, 2022 through April 30, 2027.
Megha Shankar, M.D. received the Building Trust Grant to support DEI efforts for her project,
A Perfect Pair: Didactic Sessions and Community Partnerships as Social Justice Curriculum for Internal Medicine Primary Care Residents.
2022-2023 UC San Diego Health Ranks #1 Regionally by U.S. News & World Report
According to the 2022-2023 U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” survey, UC San Diego Health has once again ranked #1 in San Diego and #5 in California, placing it among the nation’s best health care providers. Designed to assist patients and doctors in making informed health care decisions, these annual rankings distinguish hospitals that excel in providing multidisciplinary, comprehensive care for the most challenging health conditions.
2022 GIM Dr. Lawrence Friedman Mentorship AwardThe UCSD Department of Medicine sponsored an annual mentorship award in remembrance of the impact of Dr. Lawrence Friedman and his pivotal role in developing a future generation of physician leaders. The 2022 GIM Faculty awardee of the first Dr. Lawrence Friedman Mentorship Award is Dr. Simerjot Jassal.
Dr. Jassal was nominated for her outstanding leadership and impact in our division and department. Her peers commend her for tireless service with incredible leadership inclusive of gender. “She has shaped us as individual doctors as a community of excellent physicians and inspires greatness daily. She will stop no obstacle when mentoring us, caring for us as people, investing in our career development, or growing our residency excellence. In my mind, there is no one more deserving of this award.”
Medicine 401 Excellence in Teaching Award for AY2021-22
We are pleased to announce that Lawrence Ma, MD is the recipient of a Medicine 401 Excellence in Teaching Award for AY2021-22! This award is given in recognition of outstanding attendings and residents who display exemplary dedication, support, and commitment to educating our third year medical students.
2022 Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award
Congratulations to Amy Sitapati, MD was chosen to receive the 2022 Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, presented by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation.
2022 Department of Medicine Excellence in Mentoring Award
Congratulations to Rechell Rodriguez, MD who is a recipient of the inaugural Excellence in Faculty Mentorship in Education award for 2022. This award is in recognition of the outstanding contributions of Dr. Rodriguez to the mentorship of junior faculty and leaders in academic medicine.
Academy of Clinician Scholars Faculty Development Award
Congratulations to Edward Chao, DO who received the Academy of Clinician Scholars Faculty Development award for "A touch sensor as a non-invasive, personalized modality for testing glucose“.
2022 Bedside Medicine fellowship from the Society of Bedside Medicine
Congratulations to Megha Shankar, MD for being awarded a 2022 Bedside Fellowship from the Society of Bedside Medicine. Dr. Shankar’s Society of Bedside Medicine project involves the development, implementation, and evaluation of a reproductive justice workshop based on the Presence 5 framework for humanism and anti-racism in medicine.
Hispanic Center of Excellence (HCOE) faculty development program Clinician Scholars
Congratulations to Eric Mendez, MD and Joseph Diaz, MD who were selected as a first year faculty scholar in the Hispanic Center of Excellence (HCOE) faculty development program.
More than 100 UC San Diego Health physicians in 48 specialties were named “Top Docs” in the annual San Diego Magazine “Physicians of Exceptional Excellence” survey. Congratulations Dr. Marlene Millen, Dr. Amy Sitapati & Dr. Lawrence Ma who were recognized among San Diego County's best doctors by their peers!