Family physician Salvador Sandoval, M.D., MPH, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Frederick K.M. Plessner Memorial Award by the California Medical Association (CMA). The award is given annually to a California physician who exemplifies the practice and ethics of a rural county practitioner.
Dr. Sandoval has practiced medicine in Merced and surrounding areas for over 45 years. He is board-certified in Family Medicine and has focused his career on serving rural populations, influenced by his early work experiences alongside farm workers. “I worked in farm labor in the summers between junior high and high school, and I was interested in health care because of what I saw: people that were hardworking and also didn’t have very many services,” Dr. Sandoval said.
His commitment to health equity began during medical school when he worked at a migrant clinic in Yuba City. His research included studies on cardiovascular disease risk factors among male farmworkers and comparisons of HIV risk factors between migrant and settled farmworkers.
Throughout his career, Dr. Sandoval has worked on issues such as migrant and farmworker health, pesticide exposure prevention, opiate overdose prevention, and health care for unhoused populations. He has advocated for improved pesticide protections for agricultural workers and implemented overdose prevention efforts during the opioid crisis.
In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Sandoval served as Medical Director for a respite clinic supporting patients experiencing homelessness. He also operated Golden Valley’s Medical Outreach Mobile services to provide house calls to residents with limited access to care. In 1992, he was recognized as “Employee of the Year” by Merced Family Health Centers for his voluntary service.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Sandoval acted as Merced County Public Health Officer. He provided science-based guidance and used wastewater surveillance to anticipate case surges in an area with limited resources.
“Dr. Sandoval demonstrated calm, informed leadership during an extraordinarily challenging period,” said Yamilet Valladolid, Director of Government and Community at Golden Valley Health Centers. “His guidance and policies protected countless lives and reflected his lifelong commitment to health equity, public well-being, and science-based decision-making.”
Now semi-retired, Dr. Sandoval continues as a preceptor in Merced’s Family Medicine Residency Program where he mentors new physicians about rural health challenges.
“Dr. Sandoval’s legacy is etched into the very fabric of rural health care in the Central Valley,” said Merced County Department of Public Health Director Kristynn Sullivan. “Titles or accolades do not define his career, but by the thousands of lives he has touched and the countless systems he has helped shape to be more equitable, compassionate, and effective. He has delivered care under bridges, on farms, in shelters, and clinics – always with humility, integrity, and a deep belief in human dignity.”
A video profile with more information about Dr. Sandoval is available from CMA.
