Dear Colleagues:
We are pleased to announce that Catherine L. Coe, M.D. FAAFP, has been selected as the next chair of the Department of Family Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, effective January 5, 2026.
Cassandra Morn, M.D., who has served as interim chair since April 2023, will return to her role of clinical professor and vice chair of clinical services in January. Please join us in thanking Dr. Morn for her leadership and service to the Department of Family Medicine over the last two years.
A passionate advocate for academic family medicine, Dr. Coe will relocate to San Diego from the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine where she currently serves as assistant dean for clinical curriculum, associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine and associate medical director of the University Employee Occupational Health Clinic.
Dr. Coe earned her undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Washington. She went on to complete a family medicine residency at UNC Chapel Hill. Following an additional year as chief resident, she joined the UNC Department of Family Medicine as an assistant professor. During her time at UNC, she has demonstrated consistent professional growth, advancing through the ranks while taking on increasing leadership responsibilities that highlight both her clinical expertise and her commitment to improving medical education.
Dr. Coe is a nationally recognized leader in curriculum design and advocacy for innovative pathways to practice. Her visionary leadership is exemplified through the development and successful expansion of the Fully Integrated Readiness for Service Training (FIRST) Program at UNC. The FIRST Program is an accelerated Doctor of Medicine program where students complete their medical school degree in three years with a direct pathway into a UNC-affiliated residency program. After their medical training, FIRST participants complete three years of service in a rural or underserved area of North Carolina. By securing a $1.8 million grant from the American Medical Association for expansion of the program, Dr. Coe demonstrated her effectiveness in resource mobilization for programmatic growth, a testament to her ability to identify and address critical needs in physician workforce development.
Her research and educational initiatives are closely aligned, integrating innovative curriculum design with evidence-based approaches to enhance the training and well-being of medical students while preparing a physician workforce ready to meet the evolving needs of patients and communities. She has a special interest in competency-based medical education (CBME) and the continuum of medical education. In her role as the assistant dean for clinical curriculum, she led the implementation of CBME across multiple training sites, establishing standardized frameworks and best practices that enhance both teaching and patient care.
She is an active member of several national organizations, including the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Board of Directors, the American Medical Association’s Accelerating Change in Medical Education Consortium, and Consortium of Accelerated Medical Pathway Programs
Looking to the future, Dr. Coe is anticipating a transformative era for the Department of Family Medicine at UC San Diego. Grounded in community-connected research, innovative clinical care and a dynamic, inclusive approach to education, her vision for the department includes redefining what it means to train, serve and lead in family medicine.
We thank the search committee, chaired by Susan Tapert Ph.D., professor in the Department of Psychiatry, for its leadership and guidance throughout the recruitment process. We look forward to welcoming Dr. Coe to the School of Medicine leadership team and working closely with her to achieve her vision for the Department of Family Medicine.
Sincerely,
Barbara Jung, M.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean
UC San Diego School of Medicine
Patty Maysent
Chief Executive Officer
UC San Diego Health
