Congrats to Our VAQS Graduates: Drs. Dancu and Carroway

Congratulations to our two VA Quality Scholars, Caroline Dancu, RN, PhD, and Preston Carroway, MD, who graduated last night! Learn more about their accomplishments below:

Caroline Dancu, RN, PhD. Dr. Dancu earned her BSN summa cum laude from St. Mary's College and served as a nurse in the Air Force at Travis AFB before pursuing her PhD in Nursing at UCSF. Her dissertation focused on cardiovascular disease in women veterans, exploring the impact of PTSD, depression, and health behaviors on outcomes. As a VAQS fellows, she conducted a primary study surveying women veterans in Northern California and has contributed to two publications currently under review. Dr. Dancu has also been an active member of the multidisciplinary Boost Team at the San Francisco VA, which works to improve patient satisfaction and access to VA care among rural women veterans. Through VAQS, Dr. Dancu found mentorship and a sense of community, particularly appreciating the faculty support and weekly discussions that deepened her understanding of VA research and care. Caroline will continue her work at the San Francisco VA as a postdoctoral fellow in the National Clinician Scholars Program (NCSP) at UCSF, where she’ll focus on developing strategies to improve cardiovascular outcomes in women veterans.

Preston Carroway, MD. Dr. Carroway is a general surgery resident at UCSF East Bay who joined VAQS to develop his skills in clinical research — with a specific focus on cardiothoracic surgical research. Dr. Carroway was highly productive during his VAQS fellowship, publishing three peer-reviewed articles, presenting at five national conferences, and has five additional manuscripts under review. Dr. Carroway also pursued a Master of Science in Clinical Research and Epidemiology at UCSF, gaining strong training in research methods, biostatistics, and implementation science. A highlight of his VAQS experience was attending the in-person Summer Institute in Houston, where he connected with fellows nationwide, underscoring the strength of the VAQS network. Locally, Preston valued the camaraderie built through his interactions with the VAQS faculty, including welcome picnics at Land's End and dinners in the Presidio. Looking ahead, Dr. Carroway will return to complete the final two years of his general surgery residency and will apply to cardiothoracic surgery fellowship later this year.