The Medical Society of Tulare and Kings County announces its physician
of the year
A physician caring for patients at Kaweah Delta Medical Foundation has
been named physician of the year.
Ralph Kingsford, a Visalia Medical Clinic pediatrician, was recently awarded
the Medical Society of Tulare and Kings County’s George Tiss Memorial
Award. The award is presented each year in honor of the late Dr. Tiss,
who set the example of selfless devotion to the well-being of all people
in the community, and donated services to the indigent and to charitable
groups for over 40 years.
Dr. Kingsford was nominated by Alex Lechtman, M.D., who won the award in
2017. “I know the kind of hard work and dedication it takes to even
be considered. I can think of no one person better suited than this year’s
recipient,” said Dr. Lechtman, who has known Dr. Kinsgford since
1999. “I believe it says a lot about a person when they donate their
time in the service of others. Dr. Kingsford has spent countless hours
representing TCMS locally and statewide. His dedication to the advancement
of organized medicine is impressive and I sincerely believe he is the
best candidate.”
Dr. Kingsford was educated and completed medical school in India; completed
his Pediatric Residency at Stanford in 1992 and completed his Pediatric
GI Fellowship at UCSF in 1994. He has been with Visalia Medical Clinic
since 1995 and has dedicated his time and energy to this community and
the greater medical community here in Visalia as well as for California.
Dr. Kingsford has done sports physicals for area high schools for over
20 years. He is an active member in his church and with his wife, has
contributed to Royal Oaks Elementary School, Green Acres Theater and Redwood
High School Band. He has been a Tulare County Delegate to the California
Medical Association and has been on their Board of Trustees since 2013.
Additionally, he has been on the Foundation for Medical Care in Tulare
County since 1999 and a Board Member since 2011.
In an effort to recruit more physicians, Kaweah Delta partnered with Visalia
Medical Group, the physician-owned medical group to form the Kaweah Delta
Medical Foundation in 2015. The Foundation now owns and operates the clinic,
employing all staff. The 42 physicians, who make up Visalia Medical Clinic,
the physician-owned medical group, provide patient care.
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