Dr. Chana Sachs, MD, MA

Education

• Cell and Developmental Biology, B.S.,  University of California - Santa Barbara, 2012
• Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, M.A., University of California - Santa Barbara, 2014
• M.D. University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, 2019
• Pathology Residency, UC Los Angeles, Current

Bio

Hey all – just a little about myself: When I started undergrad at UCSB, I had no idea what I wanted to major in or what I wanted as a career. I soon found biology, and fell in love with it, and started as an undergraduate researcher in the Wilson lab under Dr. Thrower studying microtubule-target cancer drugs. I graduated in 2012 with a degree in Cell and Developmental Biology but didn’t quite know what I wanted to do next, other than the fact that I wanted to work in cell biology. I stuck around at UCSB to pursue my Master’s in MCDB to help me decide if I wanted a research based career or medical career.

Throughout my Master’s I had the opportunity to TA for many of the courses in the MCDB department and realized that no matter what career I chose, teaching and education needed to be a major part of it. I was one of the initial co-founders of the GBMA, creating the organization so senior undergrads, grad students, and alumni can serve as mentors for the UCSB biology community. Each one of us has had different experiences and aspirations, so we wanted a way to help share our experiences with the future generation of Gauchos, as well as create a network of alumni as we move forward in our careers.

I ultimately decided to pursue a medical degree and attended the University of Iowa for medical school (Go Hawks!). When I entered medical school, I assumed I would choose a primary-care type specialty. However, the more I explored, the more I realized that the specialty of Pathology was the exact career I’ve been looking for this entire time, even though I honestly had never heard of the specialty prior to med school. Pathology is intricately tied to molecular, cell, and development biology. One of our major roles is to evaluate tissues and cells under the microscope to make diagnoses that direct patient management, as well as run genetic and molecular testing to allow for targeted treatments. The specialty of pathology is also historically linked to medical education, and will allow me to move forward in my career as a diagnostician and educator.

I currently am a pathology resident at UCLA and would love to chat or answer any questions regarding grad school/med school/residency or really anything that you think I may be able to help with. Good luck and enjoy your time at UCSB! Gaucho for life!