UCSF Fresno | Internal Medicine

CORE FACULTY

	John A. Ambrose, MD, FACC Professor of Medicine, UCSF Director of Cardiology, Community Regional Medical Center Chief of Cardiology, UCSF Fresno Program Director, UCSF Fresno Cardiovascular Fellowship Former Governor, American College of Cardiology - New York Chapter Former President, New York Cardiologic Society Dr. John Ambrose is an internationally renowned expert in coronary artery disease and is one of the great pioneers in acute coronary syndromes. He has published extensively and his work has laid the foundation for the current theories on unstable angina, myocardial infarction and the vulnerable plaque, among others. Before coming to Fresno, Dr. Ambrose was the Director of the Cardiovascular Center at Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers in Manhattan. Before that, he was the Director of Cardiac Catheterization at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. He has been included in every edition of “Best Doctors in America.” Dr. Ambrose sang professionally in New York and continues to sing with his wife with the Fresno Grand Opera.
	Prakash Deedwania , MD, FACC Professor of Medicine, UCSF Chief of Cardiology, VACCHCS Professor of Medicine, Stanford University Dr. Prakash Deedwania is one of the most recognizable figures in the fields of hypertension, heart failure, lipid disorders, ischemic heart disease, rhythm disorders, and preventive cardiology where he has authored numerous landmark clinical trials and several clinical practice guidelines. He is a respected leader of several national and international medical societies, having held various positions at the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and the National Health Lung & Blood Institute. Having published over a thousand medical manuscripts, Dr. Deedwania is also on the editorial board of the top medical journals including the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, American Journal of Cardiology and Clinical Cardiology, among many others.
	Ralph J. Wessel, MD, FACC Associate Professor of Medicine, UCSF Interventional Cardiologist, Community Regional Medical Center Dr. Ralph Wessel has been a faculty member of the UCSF Fresno Medicine residency and Cardiology fellowship programs since their inception in the 1970s. Perhaps the most beloved and most respected teacher, he is the “do-it-all” cardiologist with special interest in interventional cardiology, myocardial pathology, congestive heart failure, pacemakers, and pulmonary hypertension. He’s formerly the Chief of Cardiology at Kaiser Permanente in Fresno as well as the former Assistant Chief of Cardiology at University Medical Center.
	Enrique Carbajal, MD Associate Professor of Medicine, UCSF Assistant Chief of Cardiology, VACCHCS Dr. Enrique Carbajal has been a faculty member of the UCSF Fresno Cardiology program for over 20 years at the VA in Fresno. He completed his cardiology training at the original VA-based UCSF Fresno campus and later joined the VA teaching staff upon his graduation in the 1990’s.
	Mouatou Mouanoutoua, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine, UCSF Interventional Cardiologist, Community Regional Medical Center Dr. Mouanoutoua is a board certified coronary and peripheral vascular interventionalist. He was the chief fellow during his cardiology training at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. Dr. Mouanoutoua is considered a pioneer within the Fresno community being the first Hmong cardiologist in the Central Valley and the first-ever Hmong cardiac interventionalist.
	Khoi Manh Le, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine, UCSF Electrophysiologist, Community Regional Medical Center Dr. Khoi Le is board certified in cardiac electrophysiology. He graduated from the Saint Louis University Medical School in Missouri and finished his cardiology training at the Advocate Illinois Masonic program in Chicago, where he was given the Distinguished Teaching Award.
	Henning Rasmussen, MD Associate Professor of Medicine, UCSF Assistant Chief of Cardiology, Community Regional Medical Center Interventional Cardiologist, Community Regional Medical Center Dr. Henning Rasmussen is the Associate Director of Cardiology at the Community Regional Medical Center. He specializes in consultative cardiology with special interest in coronary interventions and cardiac devices. He attended pre-med at Harvard University and finished his medical degree at the University of Michigan. Dr. Rasmussen completed his cardiology training at Louisiana State University. He has built a highly successful private practice for over 20 years before joining the faculty group.
	Sarkis Baghdasarian, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine, UCSF (pending) Non-Invasive Cardiologist, Community Regional Medical Center Dr. Baghdasarian is board certified in Nuclear Medicine and Vascular Imaging Interpretation with advanced training in Cardiac CT. He completed his residency training at the Cleveland Clinic and cardiology training at the University of Connecticut, where he received Teacher of the Year Award.
	Other Faculty *Cardiothoracic Surgery* Pervaiz Chaudhry, MD Shamsuddin Khwaja, MD *Congenital Heart Disease* James Prochazka, MD Kenneth Jue, MD Paul Francis, MD Carl Owada, MD *Electrophysiology* Thampi John, MD, FACC *Interventional Cardiology* Bipin Joshi, MD Harcharn Chann, MD *Vascular Surgery* Randall Stern, MD