Assistant Professor, Director of Robotic Education & Simulation (OB/gyn), Department of OB/gyn, Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery

Nominated by: Sheila Antrum, Senior Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer of UCSF Health 

Traci’s Bio:

I have been at UCSF just shy of three years but have been enjoying my role in the division of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery (MIGS). One of my biggest roles has been to bring awareness to our subspecialty. We have additional fellowship training specific to complex gyn surgery. This encompasses a patient population that has fibroids, pelvic pain, and endometriosis, and/or complex medical patients requiring surgical intervention. I am extremely lucky to work amongst gifted gyn surgeons who comprise the MIGS department.

I am also one of the directors of the multi-disciplinary endometriosis center that works to assist and facilitate care of patients with endometriosis. This is a disease that, notoriously, has a delay in diagnosis and treatment in the reproductive age population. Within the center there is a focus group called “ENACT” (Endometriosis Center for Discovery, Innovation, Training and Community) comprised of an accomplished group of investigators and clinicians in multiple disciplines, as well as educators, trainees, and community representatives who are all committed to improve the lives of adults and teens with endometriosis. I have assisted in creating patient facing resources while also organizing events for community outreach to provide further education. Some of the residents and I produced an interactive educational video regarding endometriosis, how it pertains to pelvic pain/infertility, and what treatment plan options can look like patients of UCSF. We hope to use this to enhance education and satisfaction of our patients throughout our clinics. 

I serve as Director of robotics education and simulation for the department. I am passionate about performing/teaching robotic surgery and robot school and dry labs for residents to cultivate their skills on the robotic platform.  

Nationally, I serve on a committee through the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL) to provide resources and opportunities for fellowship graduates early in their career. I also serve on the board of Surgery which is a subcommittee of AAGL which organizes and showcases videos vetted by experienced gynecologic surgeons.

An aspiration of mine is to bring an official minimally invasive gyn surgery fellowship to UCSF. While minimally invasive surgery is the standard of care for many gynecologic procedures, there is still work to be done. A big mission of our subspecialty is to combat inequities in women’s healthcare as it pertains to surgical approach and care.

What advice would you give yourself early on in your career? To a woman entering your field today? 

Of all the barriers you encounter, don’t let yourself be the biggest one. 

Many people, myself included, try to act in accordance with how they think they should act or what they think people would want them to do. It’s always good to seek and take advice from those with experience, but in the end you always have to trust yourself-- trust your instinct. 

Furthermore, as women, we can easily be labeled as sensitive, emotional, anxious.  I have found some of the things that I thought were my weaknesses have turned out to be my greatest strengths both in my personal and professional life. I would tell women entering the field to be strong-willed, but never shy away from the characteristics that make you “you”.

Can you tell us about a significant role model or mentor in your life? 

When you experience the long journey of “being in medicine” I can’t attribute any of my success to a single person. However, first and foremost, I am unwaveringly thankful to my parents. They are first-generation immigrants who came to the US at about the age I started medical school. The sacrifices and courage it took them to thrive in a new country and provide me with everything I needed (plus more) is a constant motivation. 

My most memorable mentors have been those that taught me life lessons beyond surgical skills and medical knowledge. These mentors shaped my attitude, approach to patients, and challenged me to think beyond the “job” and what my long-term impact could be one day.

What has been an important success in your career? Have you had a key breakthrough moment?

This answer would have been completely different 2 years ago. After having my son, for the first time in my life, I was terrified to go to work. When I was able to pursue my successes selfishly (pre-child) I didn’t sacrifice too much and was thankful for a supportive husband who always had my back. Post-child I was afraid I couldn't be as good of a doctor, pursue as many career opportunities, or if I'm being honest, thrive as a human being. My son has made me better all-around. So, I would say the breakthrough moment in my career is the understanding that I can't excel at all things every day, but I can have all the things I had hoped for in my life and find a way to make it work. His middle name "Shohei" (Japanese) consists of two characters that mean "To take flight while still being grounded" and he constantly motivates me to do just this.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I am an extrovert and always like to surround myself with my family and friends. My husband, son, and I will find any excuse to travel and go on an adventure. I enjoy taking hip hop dance classes in San Francisco (there’s a very rich dance culture here!). Would encourage anyone to try this out or come to a class with me!

Do you have a favorite song? If you had to choose an anthem, what would it be? 

I can never just pick one song, but I think the answer to this question would be a mash-up of Beyonce, Drake, and Bad bunny produced by Metro Boomin'.

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