A Healer Shaped by the Valley and Devoted to Its Future

Dr. Garima Handa's journey from an undergraduate at UC Merced to a physician specializing in interventional cardiology at Dignity Health in the Central Valley was a full circle one. 

"Leaving home to gain skills is powerful. But bringing those skills back to serve the community that raised you? That's just as meaningful," she said. "Both journeys matter tremendously." 

After graduating from UC Merced in 2012 with a degree in biological sciences, Handa attended medical school in Florida, followed by a residency and general cardiology fellowship in New York. She then went to Kentucky for a year of training in interventional cardiology, a specialty that combined her passions.  

Handa credits the foundational education at UC Merced for instilling the resilience and work ethic needed for the rigors of medical training.

"You take with you the ability to adapt, work hard and mold yourself to any challenge," she said. "That's what matters." 

"I knew from the beginning that medicine was for me," she added. "Even in middle school and high school, I was that nerd watching surgical videos in the library during lunch. I always wanted to be in health care." 

Handa's decision to specialize in cardiology, along with her deep interest in advancing women's cardiovascular health, is both clinical and personal.

"In med school, you hear women present differently with heart disease. But it's not until you see the consequences of missed diagnoses that it really hits you," she explained. "My grandmother had symptoms for a long time, but they were overlooked. One day, she had a massive heart attack and died. That experience has stayed with me." 

Handa sees many alignments between UC Merced and Dignity Health, which share a 
commitment to holistic health and well-being, advancing health education and improving health outcomes in the Central Valley and beyond.  

Among the potential opportunities for further collaboration between the two institutions are mentorship and learning experiences for UC Merced students at Dignity Health clinical sites. Handa encourages students interested in medicine, especially those from underrepresented communities or those still exploring their paths, to seek guidance from physicians who can support their journeys.

"When I was an undergrad, it was hard to find doctors to shadow. I know how tough that can be," she said. "But that's how you learn if medicine is really for you." 

As for her advice to the next generation of health care leaders following in her footsteps, Handa suggests they not "underestimate the power of starting here in Merced." 

"I know what it feels like to sit in those classrooms and wonder how far you'll go," she said, "but the truth is, you'll go as far as your perseverance takes you." -