A scrapbook from UCSF-Fresno includes photos of Dr . Tia Vang when she was a student in UCSF-Fresno ’ s Doctors Academy at Sunnyside High School .
Fresno Physician started her Journey at Sunnyside High School ’ s Doctors Academy
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flyer for Sunnyside High School ’ s then brand-new Doctors Academy changed Tia Vang ’ s life . An eighth grader in 1998 at Sequoia Middle School , Vang was leaning toward attending Duncan Polytechnical or Edison high schools . But then she saw that Sunnyside was recruiting students for a new health careers program .
“ I ’ m just going to apply and see what happens ,” she recalled thinking . “ Somehow , I landed a spot in the program .”
She was among 25 freshmen selected for the inaugural year of the Doctors Academy , which is supported by University of California , San Francisco-Fresno ( UCSF-Fresno ). Although it was a somewhat circuitous path , Vang is now a physician and assistant clinical professor at UCSF-Fresno . This past summer , she mentored Sunnyside senior Palakjot Kaur from the Doctors Academy , a full-circle moment for Vang .
“ It was actually a very exciting experience . I had always been mentored , so I enjoyed
40 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT : TIA VANG