National Library of Medicine honors UCSF
Fresno doctor Katherine Flores Katherine A. Flores, M.D., director of the UC San Francisco Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education, is receiving recognition locally and nationally. A longtime Valley resident, Flores, 49, was selected by the National Library of Medicine to be a part of its “Changing the Face of Medicine” exhibition. Scheduled to open Oct. 14 in Bethesda, Md., the exhibit celebrates the achievements of women in medicine since they first gained admission to American medical schools 150 years ago. Flores is among the more than 330 female physicians who were chosen from across the nation to be featured in a traveling exhibit. Flores was selected for co-founding the Doctor’s and Junior Doctor’s Academies in Fresno that are aimed at increasing the number of underrepresented high school students who pursue careers in health and medicine. The Doctor’s Academy graduated its first class of 38 students in May. More than one-third of the students were admitted to University of California campuses; all of the students will be attending college in the fall. In July, Community Medical Centers announced the appointment of Flores to its board of trustees. Trustees are community-minded citizens who volunteer their time to serve as the governing body of the non-profit corporation. They are appointed or elected based on their breadth of experience, appropriateness of skills, and willingness and ability to effectively act in fulfilling the board's and the corporation's responsibilities such as securing financial resources to support the Valley’s only burn and Level I trauma centers, updating medical equipment and expanding existing services. Flores, whose term will expire in 2006, fills the position held by Joan Voris, M.D. Voris was named associate dean of the UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program in February. ”My most important role, aside from caring for my patients, is to be their best health advocate,” said Flores. Born into a family of migrant farm workers, Flores
was raised by her grandparents and made an early decision to try
to “make a difference” in her community. Following graduation
from Roosevelt High School in Fresno, she earned degrees from Stanford
University and the UC Davis School of Medicine.
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