Education and Research , in partnership with Fresno Unified and the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools .
The goal is to help alleviate the physician shortage in the Central Valley and increase the diversity of the healthcare workforce by providing guidance and support to underrepresented and disadvantaged students .
Michele Anderson said it ’ s gratifying to see the success of the partnership .
“ Dr . Katherine Flores had a vision years ago and we are now seeing that come to fruition in our community and beyond ,” Anderson said . “ Tia is a great example of one of our former Doctors Academy students now serving our community in the medical field .
“ The Doctors Academy program focuses on providing rich academic experiences , teaches critical study skills using the AVID ( Advancement Via Individual Determination ) curriculum and exposes students to enriching experiences in the medical field . It is wonderful to have students from our diverse population become the doctors that serve our diverse community .”
Over the past 20 years , 100 % of Doctors Academy graduates have been accepted into four-year universities .
“ Overall , I ’ m very fortunate and thankful to have been a part of [ Doctors Academy ],” Vang said .
Vang was born in a Hmong refugee camp in Thailand and came to the United States in 1992 with her family when she was 7 . She is the third oldest among seven siblings .
Vang spent her first few years at Balderas Elementary School learning English and trying to catch up with her classmates . By high school , however , she was a straight-A student . Her classes through the Doctors Academy , along with internships with health professionals , solidified her goal to pursue a career in medicine .
But it took a while .
After high school , she was accepted to UC Berkeley , where she double majored in molecular and cell biology and ethnic studies . After graduating from Berkeley , she delayed medical school so that she could help her siblings financially and academically obtain their own college degrees , and help her aging parents . One sister also went to Berkeley , while two older brothers decided to pursue college after seeing Vang ’ s success and opportunities . Younger siblings graduated from UC Merced and Fresno State .
What she thought would be a two-year postponement of medical school extended to six years . But in 2018 , Vang completed her medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine and completed her internal medicine residency training with Alameda Health System / Highland Hospital in Oakland .
In October 2021 , Vang returned to Fresno for the position at UCSF-Fresno . She sees patients as a faculty practice physician at University Medicine Associates . She and other UCSF faculty members also supervise and teach UCSF-Fresno residents at the non-profit Family Healthcare Network health center .
“ Through my experience , I ’ ve learned that it doesn ’ t really matter ‘ how ’ I got there but that I got there at the end ,” Vang said . “ It is fulfilling to know that in this long journey , I also helped others to be successful . There is no right path to pursuing one ’ s dreams . The most important thing is having the passion to do so in spite of the obstacles .”
Vang says her priorities are to be a mentor to residents and students and to collaborate with organizations and professionals in addressing health disparities in the valley .
“ I always wanted to come back to Fresno and serve here ,” Vang said .