[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 152 (Friday, December 12, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1841]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING THE CAREER OF DR. JOAN L. VORIS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 12, 2014

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work and career of 
UCSF Fresno Associate Dean Dr. Joan L. Voris, and to congratulate her 
on her retirement from the UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program on 
January 5, 2015.
  Dr. Voris has decided to retire, leaving her most recent post as the 
associate dean of the UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program, a position 
she has held since 2002. Prior to her appointment as associate dean, 
she was a faculty member for 24 years. In her position as associate 
dean Dr. Voris provided leadership and oversight to residency programs 
in eight specialties, 17 sub-specialties, undergraduate medical 
education, the UCSF Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education and 
Research, the California Area Health Education Center, the UCSF Fresno 
Alzheimer's and Memory Center, and various pipeline programs within the 
community.
  Dr. Voris has made incredible changes to the UCSF Fresno medical 
education program as associate dean. During her tenure, the program has 
seen an increase in the number of core faculty from 77 to 229, and the 
number of residents and fellows trained on an annual basis increased 
from 172 to 293, a 70% increase. To add to her long list of 
accomplishments, all but one of the 14 fellowship programs was 
established under her leadership.
  Prior to working at UCSF Fresno, Dr. Voris attended prestigious 
Stanford University where she earned both her bachelor's and medical 
degrees. Afterwards, she completed her pediatrics residency training at 
UCSF Fresno. During her 36 years working as a pediatrician in Fresno, 
Dr. Voris has served on a medical team which brings health care to 
communities in Mexico during the summer, working to provide health care 
to those who live in areas which have access to little to no medical 
services.
  Due to her amazing contributions to the medical community and her 
expertise in child abuse issues and childhood obesity, Dr. Voris was 
named by the Marjaree Mason Center in 2010 as one of their Top 10 
Professional Women. Additionally, in 2012, she received the ``Physician 
Community Service Lifetime Achievement Award'' from the Fresno-Madera 
Medical Society.
  Her colleagues have nothing but praise for Dr. Voris, expressing 
their appreciation at her tireless efforts to improve health care in 
the San Joaquin Valley and to increase awareness of UCSF Fresno.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with utmost respect that I ask my colleagues to 
join me in honoring the career of Dr. Joan L. Voris. Her outstanding 
work in pediatrics, her improvements at the UCSF Fresno Medical 
Education Program, and her extensive contributions to the community 
have all led to her to be regarded as one of the best doctors in the 
Central Valley. It is my hope that she continues to have a happy and 
fulfilling life in retirement.

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