Evelyn A. Curls, MD, MBA Appointed Vice Chair of Ambulatory Medicine for the UCLA Department of Medicine and Clinical Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research
The UCLA Department of Medicine (DoM) is pleased to announce that Evelyn A. Curls, MD, MBA has been appointed vice chair of ambulatory medicine for the DoM and clinical chief of the UCLA Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research (GIM/HSR). As the vice chair of ambulatory medicine, Dr. Curls will be responsible for leading and ensuring effective and collaborative clinical practice across all DoM primary care and specialty ambulatory services, working closely with DoM training programs, other clinical departments with which the DoM actively partners in the delivery of ambulatory services, and the health system. As clinical chief of the division of GIM/HSR, Dr. Curls will provide oversight for the regional medical directors/associate clinical chiefs of each DoM-based geographic region.
Dr. Curls is a native of Los Angeles and pursued a Bachelors of Science in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California. She simultaneously earned her Doctorate in Medicine and a Masters in Business Administration at UCLA, underscoring her dual commitment to medicine and the business thereof.
Before commencing her residency, Dr. Curls worked as a consultant for Johnson & Johnson and AMREF Health Africa, extending her expertise both locally and internationally, including in Nairobi, Kenya and Accra, Ghana. Within the U.S., she advised Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and HeadStart Day Care Centers, formulating strategic objectives to sustain financial viability. In Sub-Saharan Africa, she collaborated with administrators in HIV/AIDS-focused hospitals and community clinics, developing internal processes to boost operational efficiency and devising microfinance strategies to secure funding sources to support clinical operations.
As a physician at UCLA, Dr. Curls serves a diverse patient population, specializing in providing culturally competent care to a patient panel largely composed of women of color. In tandem with her medical practice, Dr. Curls has held numerous administrative roles, most notably as the regional ambulatory medical director of the southern region. Her responsibilities encompassed supervision and operational oversight of the DoM’s ambulatory healthcare delivery for multi-specialty and primary care clinics in her region. She has a key role in building and optimizing clinical infrastructure, physician recruitment, professional development, and community engagement through local and regional representation of UCLA Health's clinical and strategic interests.
Dr. Curls served on the Executive Board of the Department of Medicine Professional Group (DMPG), being elected as secretary, vice president, and finally president during her tenure. As DMPG President, she prioritized enhancing physician wellness. One of her main initiatives was the implementation of department-wide sustainability blocks, providing clinical faculty with increased autonomy and flexibility in their clinic schedules.
Dr. Curls works closely with the health system in collaboration with the Office of Patient Experience, where she championed modifications to the patient dismissal policy, ensuring the immediate dismissal of patients for verbal abuse or discriminatory remarks based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. She now serves on the Patient Dismissal Council and works to bolster the support system for our dedicated faculty and staff.
Dr. Curls is both honored and thrilled to embrace her new role, and drive forward the vision and strategies recently articulated by the strategic planning process. She strongly believes in the potential of our faculty and staff and eagerly anticipates leading the ambulatory medicine team to realize their collective vision.
Please join us in congratulating and welcoming Dr. Curls into this new leadership role.
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