BOARD NEWS: UCSF-Fresno Vice Dean Barral Sánchez
New UCSF Fresno vice dean joins CVHEC board as regional campus eyes 50th anniversary
José M. Barral Sánchez, MD, PhD, was seated on the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) Board of Directors at its quarterly meeting May 8 in Fresno upon assuming the position of vice dean for the UCSF Fresno Regional Campus, effective May 1.
Dr. Barral Sanchez’ appointment was announced in February by UCSF School of Medicine Dean Talmadge E. King, Jr., MD as the regional campus prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.
He said Dr. Barral Sánchez oversees medical education, faculty development and research growth, including an expanding partnership with UC Merced, also a CVHEC member.
“This newly established role supports UCSF Fresno’s expansion as a regional campus,” said Dean King at the time.
Founded in 1975, UCSF Fresno was established to address the physician shortage in the San Joaquin Valley and help meet the region’s health care needs.
“With a career dedicated to academic leadership, faculty mentorship and community-driven medical education, Dr. Barral Sánchez is well-positioned to advance the UCSF Fresno Regional Campus’s mission of improving health care in the San Joaquin Valley,” added Dean King.
Dr. Barral Sánchez joins UCSF from the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM), where he has served as the inaugural chair of Biomedical Science and founding co-director of the MD-PhD Program with Caltech since 2018. He previously held leadership roles at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, including senior associate dean for Academic Affairs and vice chair of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Anatomy.
“I am looking forward to immersing myself in UCSF Fresno and learning what the needs and aspirations are of the campus community, Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley,” said Dr. Barral Sánchez. “I want to become embedded in the environment and learn how I can become a catalyst for enhancing the overall educational and research culture — everything that comprises an academic medical center and to enhance attracting health care providers to train and remain in the region.”
See original UCSF-Fresno press release.
For media inquiries about UCSF Fresno: Brandy Ramos Nikaido brandy.nikaido@ucsf.edu
For media inquiries about the CVHEC Board: Tom Uribes cvheccommunications@mail.fresnostate.edu
