Source: Brandy Nikaido
Phone: 559.241.7512, or 559.313.6539
E-mail: Brandy.Nikaido@ucop.com

MEDIA ADVISORY
March 26, 2002

UCSF FRESNO ANNOUNCES ARRIVAL OF 56 NEW DOCTORS TO THE VALLEY

The University of California, San Francisco, Fresno Medical Education Program (UCSF Fresno) will introduce 56 new Valley doctors at the historic Match Day Celebration on March 28, at 4pm. The event marks the largest number of first-year residents entering UCSF Fresno's seven residency programs to date.

"We are thrilled with the quality of doctors coming to UCSF Fresno this year," said Deborah Stewart, MD, associate dean of UCSF Fresno. "The new doctors are arriving from all over the nation and world-with four Central Valley natives returning to Fresno to complete their residencies." Two of the four local residents returning to the Valley are Lori Nidersfon, MD, and Eric Leveque, DO, who both grew up in Fresno.

Notable medicals schools attended by the incoming class of residents include: the University of California, San Francisco; the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Irvine; the University of California, Davis; Columbia University; George Washington University; and Howard University.

Match Day Celebration Event
Time: 4pm to 5pm
Date: Thursday, March 28
Place: University Medical Center, Fresno, California
445 S. Cedar Avenue (at Huntington Boulevard)
(Use Boyd Avenue entrance, located east off of Huntington. Event located in front of hospital at patio entrance.)
Speakers: Deborah Stewart, MD, associate dean of UCSF Fresno, and
J. Phillip Hinton, MD, chief executive officer of Community Medical Centers

Background
Since 1974, UCSF Fresno has trained more than 2000 residents to become medical specialists in one of seven areas including: family practice, internal medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, psychiatry, obstetrics/gynecology, and pediatrics. More than half of those trained have remained in the Valley to practice.

Note to the media: Second and third year UCSF Fresno medical residents will be on site to answer questions. For more information, or to speak to one of the local first-year residents returning to the Valley please contact Brandy Nikaido at 559.241.7512, or on the day of press conference at 559.313.6539.

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