Coronado physician Asha Devereaux, MD, MPH, FCCP, has been named the 2017 Outstanding Clinician by the California Thoracic Society (CTS), the largest chapter of the American Thoracic Society.
CTS is a professional society committed to improving Californian’s lung health and, through advocacy and education, the advancement of the science and practice of pulmonary and critical care medicine. Established in 1940, CTS is officially recognized by the California Medical Association and has direct representation on its Scientific Committee on Chest Diseases, its Council on Legislation, and its governing body, the House of Delegates.
In making the announcement, Dr. Angela Wang, CTS immediate past president, characterized Devereaux as “a dedicated, compassionate and spirited clinician.”
“Dr. Devereaux continually strives for what is best for her patients, rather than what is cheapest, easiest or just good enough,” said Wang. “In the words of one of her colleagues: ‘Dr. Devereaux is the sort of clinician whose sense of responsibility is not defined by the time scheduled, but rather by the therapeutic result she demands for her patients.’
“She combines clinical acumen with a grace, courage and dedication that embodies the highest ideals of our profession,” Wang continued. “She reminds us that the practice of medicine requires more than mere expertise and goes beyond shift work to encompass a fiduciary responsibility for our patients.”
Wang added: “Dr Devereaux takes the time to really listen to her patients, their frustrations, fears, and pain. She treats each of her patients as a valued individual and not just an assortment of signs and symptoms.”
Devereaux, who was born in Los Angeles, recalled that she felt a calling to medicine at an early age.
“When visiting India at the age of 6, I felt the pull to help people,” she said. “The overwhelming numbers of people I witnessed suffering left a permanent impression on me. That is one of the many reasons I entered the field of medicine and simultaneously received a Masters degree in Public Health.”
Devereaux completed her undergraduate work at UC San Diego, and then received a medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine and an MPH from Tulane University School of Tropical Medicine.
She joined the Navy in 1988 as part of the Health Professionals Scholarship Program. “It was a natural fit with my passion for public health,” she said. “I wanted to learn and help as many people as possible. I was proud to serve my country and give back for the opportunities provided to my parents who immigrated here in 1961 from India.”
Devereaux credits her Navy training as one of her life’s best experiences. “When a person puts on the uniform and serves alongside others who are also selfless, our mission and clarity of common purpose rises. We strive to be the best we can be, because our skills will be needed to save each other. I continue to practice medicine with the principles and ethics that I obtained from the Navy.”
She worked in internal medicine at Balboa Naval Hospital from 1991 through 1994, and then served as head of medicine at Beaufort Naval Hospital in South Carolina. She returned to Balboa Hospital’s Pulmonary Division in 1996 for a Pulmonary/Critical Care Fellowship, when she was one of the Navy’s first two woman fellows in the program. She completed her Naval career serving as Chem-Bio ICU director aboard the USNS Mercy.
Upon completion of her Naval career in 2002, Devereaux established her private practice in Coronado, with an office on Tenth Street. She maintains active board certifications in Pulmonary, Critical Care, Internal Medicine and Holistic Medicine and primarily focuses on outpatient pulmonary medicine.
Her nomination as California’s Thoracic Clinician noted that in addition to her practice, “Devereaux is a tireless champion of the medical profession and its potential for good. Her work on the state and national levels has played an important role in ensuring that all patients have access to state-of-the-art medical care.”
Devereaux has been an active member of the California and American Thoracic Societies, serving as president of the California chapter in 2009.
Devereaux served as Vice Chair of the American College of Chest Physician’s Disaster Response Network from 2003 to 2005 and as Co-Chair of the Task Force for Mass Critical Care from 2007 to 2014 that resulted in the College’s report entitled Care of the Critically Ill and Injured During Pandemics and Disasters.
Following its publication, the recommendations were employed during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic in Mexico City, the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti and triage support during Hurricane Sandy.
Devereaux and her husband, Dr. Chris Devereaux, a gastroenterologist, have lived in Coronado since 1991 and are the parents of two children. Sabrina is in her third year at Harvard University, pursuing Environmental Science/Public Policy, and Alex is a freshman at NYU/Tisch School of the Arts, with a focus on Dramatic Writing.
The Devereauxs are members of Broadway SD and support the Coronado Island Film Festival. Today, Asha Devereaux volunteers with the San Diego Disaster Medical Assistance Team (CA-4) and continues to support UC San Diego and the American Lung Association.
