SGU Alum Named Attending Physician of the Year at UCSD

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Kunal Agrawal, MD ’11, recently received the honor of “Attending Physician of the Year for 2022” from the University of California at San Diego. The California native is currently associate professor of neurosciences at UC San Diego Health System and program director of the Vascular Neurology Fellowship.

To be considered for Attending Physician of the Year, Dr. Agrawal had to be nominated by a colleague and evaluated by a Medical Executive Committee who then selects one attending physician out of the pool of nominations from within the UCSD Health System.

When asked about the award, Dr. Agrawal stated, “I am honored and mostly I am humbled. This award caught me off guard, but confirms I have chosen a great career path that continues to motivate me.”

Dr. Agrawal started out in bioengineering but found himself drawn to neuroscience classes while pursuing his undergraduate degree at UC San Diego. He then shifted to a neuroscience major, which led him to his career in medicine.

“Medicine was one of the few fields that would allow me to take ownership of my career path because of the ways you can impact lives as a physician. I love the teaching, research, and seeing the difference I can make,” said Dr. Agrawal.

“SGU provided me the opportunity to become a physician and work harder and smarter,” he continued. “My experiences at SGU allowed me to have a well-rounded experience of observing how different hospital systems in the US function. I feel that I have become a better physician by being able to refer to my time at SGU to guide my career and approach to patient care.”

 

“I feel that I have become a better physician by being able to refer to my time at SGU to guide my career and approach to patient care.”

 

Following graduation, Dr. Agrawal found success in residency and fellowship, which he sees as being some of the most formative experiences that have led him to this honor. He interned at St. Barnabas Medical Center and completed a neurology residency at George Washington University before returning to UC San Diego for vascular neurology fellowship.

“I was fortunate to have trained in programs that emphasize the importance of relying on clinical intuition and developing a systematic and efficient approach to patient care,” said Dr. Agrawal.

Just as he has at UCSD, Dr. Agrawal made a mark on SGU, and the faculty remember him fondly.

“I remember Kunal as a very sincere and dedicated student at SGU,” said Dr. CV Rao, dean of University Alumni Affairs. “This sincerity and dedication have clearly remained consistent throughout his career and served him well. We are all very proud to call him one of our own.”

As for Dr. Agrawal’s favorite memory from SGU, he reflects on the people he encountered. “I could not have asked for a better graduating class from SGU,” he said. “I continue to maintain lifelong friendships with my graduating class, and of course, I met my fantastic wife at SGU—perhaps the best memory of all.”

 

—Sarah Stoss

 

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