Practice Philosophy
Treating others like I would want to be treated (Golden Rule).
Ensuring that ongoing care and illness prevention is set up for the success of the patient and family after they leave the hospital.
Utilizing evidence based medicine (where it exists).
Involving the patient and family in making care decisions.
Education of the next generation of physicians who care for kids.
Honors and Awards
- 2015 Steven M. Thompson Physician Loan Repayment Grant - California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (CA-OSHPD)
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2010 Steven M. Thompson Physician Loan Repayment Grant (CA-OSHPD)
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2008 Board of Trustees Meritorious Service Award in Education - Children's Hospital Central California (CHCC)/Valley Children's Hospital (VCH)
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2007 Teacher of the Year for Resident Education - General Pediatrics - CHCC/VCH
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2000 Provost's Student Government Award - Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU)
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2000 Dr. William G. Stahl Memorial Award (WesternU)
Dr. Steven Foster joined Valley Children's Specialty Medical Group in 2005. Prior to this, he obtained his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in Pomona, California. He came to the Central Valley for pediatric residency at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Fresno Medical Education Program and subsequently served as a fourth year Chief Resident.
Board Certified in Pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics, Dr. Foster belongs to multiple professional societies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Association of Pediatric Program Directors, American Osteopathic Association, and the Christian Medical and Dental Association.
He has given numerous hospitalist themed presentations to residents and medical students and also served as the Director of Resident Didactic Education at Valley Children's for a 10-year period. Dr. Foster is the Program Director of the UCSF Fresno Pediatric Residency Program and has a faculty appointment as an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF.
As an active member of Valley Children's Medical Staff, Dr. Foster has served in multiple roles over the years, which have included Associate Medical Director of the Pediatric Hospitalist Group, Medical Executive Committee, Education Committee, and Chair of the Emergency Medical Response Team (EMRT).
Research
Quality Improvement: Establishing Best Practices for Resident's Completion of Work/Duty Hours, Staff Monitoring, and Program Director Review for Accurate Duty Hours; UCSF Fresno, 2020
Quality Improvement: Board Study Plan to Improve In-service Exam Scores of Pediatric Resident; UCSF Fresno, 2020
Quality Improvement: Improving the Reporting of Faculty Scholarly Activities; UCSF Fresno, 2020
Quality Improvement: Re-evaluating the Evaluation Process- Improving the Feedback and Evaluation Experience; UCSF Fresno, 2022
Foster SA, Banh NT, Washburn B; UC Davis AAMC Western Group of Educational Affairs (WGEA); 2010; "Innovation in Pediatric Residency Education: Establishment of an 18 Month Revolving Didactic Curriculum".