CONTRIBUTED BY
STEVEN STIEFEL
AUBURN — An Auburn native finishing up her residency in anesthesiology has received praise from the program for recently saving a patient’s life.
Dr. Victoria Starks was named The University of California Los Angeles Ronald Reagan Medical Center’s 2025 “Great Catch Winner” — voted the best among all employees throughout the year.
She later received a “Hero Award” from The Josie King Foundation, a national foundation advocating for patient safety initiatives. More than 250,000 people die every year from medical errors, making it the third leading cause of death in the United States.
When her patient’s temperature rapidly spiked while in the operating room, Starks immediately recognized the signs of possible malignant hyperthermia (MH) — a rare but life-threatening emergency. Delays in treatment can lead to multi-organ failure (kidney, heart) or death, so her rapid action was credited in saving the patient’s life.
MH is an inherited hypermetabolic reaction to specific anesthetic agents, primarily triggered by potent volatile inhalation anesthetics. The reaction causes severe muscle rigidity, high fever and rapid heart rate due to massive calcium release in skeletal muscles.
The team sprang into action, activated the MH protocol, called the hotline and worked seamlessly with perioperative and critical care staff to prevent further harm to the patient.
“This is what vigilance, teamwork and clinical excellence look like,” the UCLA program noted on its Instagram page. “Congratulations, Dr. Starks, and thank you for exemplifying the very best in patient safety and high-quality care.”
In addition, Starks was chosen by students as third quarter recipient of the Resident Educator of the Quarter Award. This award is based on medical student evaluations of resident teaching. The Resident Educator of the Quarter Award recognizes the accomplishments of a resident who shows consistent dedication and enthusiasm for teaching medical students.
“Dr. Starks, who I worked with on my second day, was excellent at introducing me to some concepts I was unfamiliar with, and she really took effort to help me with IV placements, which was something I was still learning,” a student wrote. “I loved her approach to teaching and felt like she advocated for me and my learning.”
Another student credited her with involving her in the induction and maintenance of and emergence from anesthesia in a cardiac case with its attendant difficulties in terms of anesthesia.
“I learned a lot about anesthesia in critically ill patients as well as thoracic/cardiac procedures and how to tailor medications and anesthesia plans such that patients can safely receive essential surgical care,” the student wrote.
She was described as particularly enthusiastic about teaching and opportunities for hands-on engagement. She offered students valuable advice, both professionally and personally.
“Dr. Starks was a very strong patient advocate and that was very nice to see,” another student wrote. “She was very interested in my learning and getting me involved. When a case we had was canceled, she reached out to other residents to try and get me involved so I could get the most of the rotation. She was very friendly and supportive.”
Starks grew up in Auburn, graduating as Class President in 2013 from Auburn High. In 2017, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in nutrition science from Auburn University’s Honors College, where she was nominated for Miss Homecoming in 2016. She was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority.
She earned her medical degree in 2022 from the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. She is finishing her residency in anesthesiology from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Upon completing her residency, Starks said she plans to work for Kaiser Permanente, which serves patients in 39 hospitals across 734 locations in eight states and the District of Columbia.
She is the daughter of the late Virgil Starks of Auburn and Donna Mash Stiefel of Auburn.
