UCSD Family Medicine

03/02/2025

Join us for the first-ever Kidney Cancer Patient Summit on March 15.

This inaugural event brings together leading kidney cancer experts, patients and caregivers for a day of learning, networking and sharing stories of hope. Whether you're newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment or years into your survivorship journey, you'll have the opportunity to engage with leading clinicians and researchers, gain valuable insights about advances in the field and build meaningful connections within our kidney cancer community. Every participant's voice and experience matters in this welcoming and supportive environment.

📅 Date: March 15, 2025
📍 Location: The Alexandria at Torrey Pines
💲 Cost: Free and open to the public, registration required

Register today and be among the first to see what's on the cutting edge of research in kidney cancer, learn the latest about living with and caring for those who have kidney cancer, and experience the difference that advocacy can make in the lives of patients and their families: na.eventscloud.com/website/81467/

02/25/2025

Warm up with a heart-healthy soup! ❤️🥣

Watch as Mallory Callaway, registered dietitian at UC San Diego Health, shows us how to put together this delicious tomato soup recipe that is packed with nutrient-rich ingredients to support your heart health.

Ingredient list:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced fennel bulb
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon seasoning mix (granulated garlic & onion, lemon pepper and paprika)
1 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced

Try it out and nourish your body with every bite. Bonus—it is vegan and gluten free too!

If you have heart disease or have experienced a cardiac event or surgery, the cardiac rehabilitation and wellness program can help you change your lifestyle and provide you with the tools to stay on your new path. It's part of UC San Diego Health's comprehensive heart care services.

UC San Diego Health has the only wellness kitchen in the region. As a part of our Pritikin Intensive cardiac rehabilitation program patients have access to engaging workshops and cooking classes that will teach them how to implement lifestyle changes to improve heart health, shop for and cook heart-healthy meals, lose weight using healthy scientific strategies and make heart-healthy choices when dining out.

health.ucsd.edu/care/heart-vascular/cardiac-rehabilitation/

02/24/2025

We're not just providing care—we're redefining it.

Elena Javier was born with a rare congenital heart defect that can ultimately lead to heart failure. Called an Ebstein anomaly, she lived with symptoms of exhaustion and labored breathing for five decades. Her health progressively declined until, at age 53, she received advanced care at UC San Diego Health by way of a new heart and an empowering care team.

UC San Diego Health is redefining patient care with thoughtful, human-centered experiences at every touchpoint. Follow patient Elena Javier’s journey to healing and see how we’re leading the way with exceptional care and groundbreaking advancements that shape the future of medicine: today.ucsd.edu/story/leading-the-way-with-care

02/22/2025

Are we doing too much?

Overtreatment in geriatric care can lead to unnecessary risks for older adults, according to a new research study. Experts like Ian Neel, MD, geriatrician at UC San Diego Health, are calling for a shift toward patient-centered decision-making. Learn more about the efforts to reduce excessive treatments. ⬇️

Depend on us for exceptional care because our senior medicine program is ranked among the nation's top 25 programs for geriatric care by U.S. News & World Report: health.ucsd.edu/care/primary-care/geriatrics/

Alerts delivered via the electronic health record temporarily reduces unnecessary screening and treatment but does not create lasting changes among primary care clinicians.

02/21/2025

From custodian to clinical tech—an inspiring journey of dedication and growth at UC San Diego Health.

After eight years as a custodian in the environmental services department for UC San Diego Health, Mae Valdehueza was looking for the next step in her career. Thanks to a new partnership between UC San Diego Health and Jewish Vocational Service Bay Area, she transitioned into a role as a sterile processing technician. This grant-funded program provided training and education for in-house employees in lower-wage positions, helping them move into clinical careers within the hospital. Read more. ⬇️

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02/20/2025

Grief is a journey no one should walk alone. 💙

UC San Diego Health and the UC Health Milk Bank provide a foundation of support and coping strategies for pregnancy and postpartum loss with the Loved Beyond Measure program which offers comfort, connection and healing to patients and their families during a very difficult time.

“We become close to the patients we care for and their loved ones. When there is a loss, it can be traumatic for the families,” said Nicole Dominguez, RN, clinical nurse at UC San Diego Health. “We wanted to find a way to support our patients on a very personal level and help them navigate the extremely difficult and profound life event. Some families may only be with their baby for a short time, but we wanted to give them lasting memories that would help them through the grieving process.”

The bereavement committee at UC San Diego Health offers support in several ways including the creation of memory boxes for each family, which are filled with a variety of items, including a ribbon cut to the baby’s length and a note attached saying, “I love you beyond measure” and a blooming cheery blossom mural to honor parents and memorialize their beloved babies.

UC San Diego Health and the UC Health Milk Bank provide a foundation of support and coping strategies for pregnancy and postpartum loss.

02/19/2025

Iris Ruvalcaba’s world turned upside-down when she was diagnosed with a pituitary gland tumor.

Throughout Ruvalcaba’s health care journey at UC San Diego Health, she fondly remembers the kindness and support she received from the environmental services (EVS) team. Their presence made a significant difference, reminding her that compassionate care extends beyond clinical staff.

During recovery, Ruvalcaba told her husband, “I want to work at UC San Diego Health.” And she did.

Two years later and a promotion, Ruvalcaba sees her work not just as a job but as a testament to her gratefulness.

One of her most heartfelt moments came when she was able to connect with a patient who had just received a brain tumor diagnosis. “I don’t know what type of tumor you have or where you are in life, but you are not alone,” she told them. “UC San Diego Health is the best place to receive care and I am living proof.”

Passionate about making a difference? View our open positions: employment.ucsd.edu

After surviving a brain tumor, one patient transformed her gratitude into action, joining the EVS team at UC San Diego Health to give back and inspire others.

02/17/2025

From basketball champion to surgeon and leader—Diane Simeone, MD, credits her fascination with human biology and dedication as a student athlete with instilling in her a strong sense of curiosity, leadership skills and a set of high standards, which have all punctuated her career path.

The college basketball champion initially studied neuroscience but was later drawn to becoming a physician and then her robust national and international experience as a cancer surgeon and leader led to her to her current role of director of Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health and pancreatic surgeon scientist in the Division of Surgical Oncology in the Department of Surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

The role, she says, fills her with pride everyday, "Moores Cancer Center is a beacon of hope to communities locally and nationally. I am always thinking about how to continue our legacy of exceeding standards for lifesaving, highly specialized care and supporting our patients and their loved ones through their most difficult life challenges."

Read the full Q&A. 💬 ⬇️

Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health is San Diego's only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, learn more: health.ucsd.edu/care/cancer/

Diane Simeone, MD, the new director of Moores Cancer Center, shares her vision to fight cancer from every angle: advancing early detection, developing innovative treatments, and expanding access to clinical trials for all.

02/14/2025

It was a Valentine’s Day to remember this year for families of UC San Diego Health.

To celebrate the holiday, babies receiving care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at UC San Diego Health were gifted with knitted hats adorned with heart-shaped buttons. The handmade items were made with love and donated by a grandmother of an attending UC San Diego Health neonatologist.

Beautiful baby girl Kaira was born at Jacobs Medical Center on Dec. 26, 2024, weighing 3 pounds and 4 ounces, and has been cared for in the NICU since then.

The Level III NICU at Jacobs Medical Center is nationally recognized center of excellence, providing the highest level of care available for premature or sick newborns. UC San Diego Health is the only medical center in San Diego to have both a regional NICU and a labor and delivery service in the same facility. See more about our baby care team: health.ucsd.edu/care/pregnancy-birth/nicu

We are honored when parents choose UC San Diego Health to be a part of the life-changing moment of welcoming a new child into the world. With two distinct birth settings and a large staff of physicians, midwives and high-risk specialists, UC San Diego Health offers more childbirth options than anywhere else in San Diego.

Happy Valentine's Day!

02/14/2025

It was a story of love at first bite that started with a sandwich for Jill and Aubrey Martin, who met while working at UC San Diego Health in 2015. The two were both tasked with opening a new hospital, Jacobs Medical Center at UC San Diego Health, set to open in November 2016. They had met at a catered steering meeting organized for hospital construction and planning.

After one fateful steering meeting, Jill had kindly offered a few leftover sandwiches to team members who worked in the building. What had developed was not only hunger, but sparks as well; the two had caught each other's eye at these lunches, but maintained professional decorum.

Jill, senior director of Food, Nutrition and Hospitality, had led a recent kitchen remodel project in preparation to expand food service and accommodate the new Jacobs Medical Center at UC San Diego Health. Aubrey, director of Business Administration for CORE Services, had just joined UC San Diego Health for the final construction phases of the new hospital.

Eventually, Jill sent a search party (her boss) out to investigate Aubrey's story and if he was single.
Turns out, he was and the two quickly created "Pizza Friday,” which was nothing more than a disguised lunch date. What started as many co-workers having lunch together quickly became just the two of them.

"By the end of the first slice of pizza on our 'first date', we knew the weekly date would be a mainstay on our weekly calendar," said Jill Martin. "And I'm sure the others at the table quickly realized the 'third wheel' role they were playing."

From that day forward, if you needed to find Aubrey at noon, he was in the Thornton Atrium trying to make Jill laugh.

One year later, they were officially engaged about a year after their first date and had already planned a destination wedding in Kauai the week after the hospital opened in November 2016. They returned from Kauai as "The Martins.” Getting married was a fun surprise to share at work and a story they love telling, which continues to this day!

The Martins and Jacobs Medical Center will be celebrating their 9-year anniversaries in 2025. UC San Diego Health continues to expand its network of clinics and hospitals to better serve patients and the community. When not carpooling to work, The Martins enjoy traveling the world. Scotland, Argentina and Japan are next.

Happy Valentine’s Day to the Martins and to all at UC San Diego Health! 💗

Continue reading more UC San Diego love stories: today.ucsd.edu/story/11-stories-of-love-and-friendship-that-began-at-uc-san-diego

02/14/2025

Today and every day, we ❤️ you!

02/14/2025

Tammie Warren’s birthday wish came true when she traveled from North Carolina to UC San Diego Health for acoustic neuroma surgery to preserve her hearing.

Tammie Warren had hearing loss in one ear and an acoustic neuroma in the other. Surgery at UC San Diego Health prevented her from going deaf.

02/13/2025

Personalized care, extraordinary results.

No two cancers—and no two patients—are exactly alike. Precision medicine takes a personalized approach to treatment by leveraging advanced technologies to analyze your tumor's unique genetic profile. Molecular testing is the cornerstone of this approach, enabling the selection of therapies specifically targeted to your cancer.

At UC San Diego Health, we’re leading the way in precision medicine, combining the power of genetic testing and immunologic profiling to achieve better health outcomes for you and your loved ones. Learn more. ⬇️

Personalized cancer therapy, also called precision medicine, is available for many tumor types at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. We specialize in clinical trials, genomics and immunotherapy.l

02/12/2025

Metastatic cancer, also known as stage 4 cancer, occurs when cancer spreads to other parts of the body. Understanding how it develops and the treatment options available can empower patients and families.

"The metastasis process can differ among the types of cancer," says Rebecca Shatsky, MD, oncologist at UC San Diego Health. "But the general process is that early on in the development of a primary tumor, cells arise that have the ability to escape from the original tumor."

“These cells can escape and then can hide in other places in the body—the bones, the organs—where they can then form tumors in other places of the body. This happens because the cancer’s goal, just like our normal cells' goal, is to grow and survive.”

Early detection and timely interventions are critical in managing metastatic cancer effectively. Read more. ⬇️ 📰

The oncologists at UC San Diego Health not only provide personalized care with better outcomes, they set treatment standards nationwide for more than 200 types of cancer: health.ucsd.edu/care/cancer/

Everything you need to know about metastatic cancer and what it means, how it develops, the types of cancers most likely to metastasize, treatments, survival rates, and more.

02/11/2025

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women—but awareness and action can save lives.

"One problem with prevention is that when it works, it is silent," said Lori Daniels, MD, cardiologist at UC San Diego Health. "The lifestyle changes we make and the medications we take often don’t get the credit they deserve. There is no bell that rings each time a heart attack is prevented or a life is saved by a medication. Without positive feedback, taking long-term medications or keeping up with diet and exercise every single day can be trying. Yet, we know from decades of research that these measures are proven to save lives and prevent heart attacks and strokes. So stick with it."

Learn the risks, warning signs and heart-healthy habits every woman should know. ⬇️

As part of the region's only academic health system, the Cardiovascular Institute at UC San Diego Health is a hub of discovery and innovation: health.ucsd.edu/care/heart-vascular/

As a female cardiologist, I am acutely aware of the serious risk of heart disease in women. Heart disease is the number one cause of death for women, resulting in one of every three deaths each yea…

02/11/2025

Living with intense and chronic pain is not normal. There are a number of ways to treat and manage pain to live life normally and comfortably.

In addition to traditional methods for pain management, UC San Diego Health offers complementary or alternative medicine options for those seeking relief, including acupressure, osteopathic manipulation and stress reduction programs.

Learn more about pain management options at UC San Diego Health. ⬇️

UC San Diego Health's pain management doctors offer comprehensive treatment plans for those seeking relief from all types of chronic pain, including lower back pain, fibromyalgia, sciatic pain and neuropathic pain.

02/08/2025

While bladder cancer treatment can require complete removal of the bladder, a new FDA-approved gene therapy offers a bladder-saving approach. UC San Diego Health is the first health system in San Diego County to offer the therapy.

Learn more about how gene therapy works in this interview with Amirali Salmasi, MD, urologist at UC San Diego Health.

02/06/2025

Everyone reacts to stress in different ways, but how much stress a person experiences and how the body responds may lead to an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Specifically, a stressful event can result in increased adrenaline in the body, which causes a faster heart rate and increased blood pressure. When stress is chronic, long-term health concerns may result.

Depend on UC San Diego Health's integrated behavioral health program to learn practical coping skills to get your life back on track. Integrated behavioral health care is a unique patient-centered model that seamlessly integrates mental health services into primary care to provide comprehensive and cohesive care.

If you're grieving, stressed, depressed or facing other challenges, get help form UC San Diego Health’s integrated behavioral health program. Learn practical coping skills to get your life back on track.