Joshua Stark, M.D.

PGY-2 Resident

About Dr. Stark

Dr. Josh Stark is a PGY-2 resident in Radiation Oncology and a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee. He studied Molecular and Cellular Biology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where he learned both about signal transduction pathways and the full Alan Jackson discography

After college, Dr. Stark spent a research year in a cardiology lab, which sparked his interest in translational science and precision medicine. He earned his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, where a head and neck rotation with ENT introduced him to radiation oncology. He was drawn to the field’s blend of precision, physics, and the quiet power of the 'healing beam'.

He went on to complete rotations at both St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, where he deepened his interest in pediatric radiation oncology and explored how cancer genomics can inform radiation treatment.

Dr. Stark completed his intern year at Emory University in Atlanta, caring for patients at Emory University Hospital, the Atlanta VA, and Grady Memorial—Atlanta’s largest safety-net hospital. That year sharpened his clinical instincts and broadened his appreciation for the art of medicine, as well as for late-night Waffle House runs, OutKast, and long Beltline walks.

He is excited to continue his training in San Diego. Outside the hospital, Dr. Stark enjoys mountain biking, weightlifting, running, and the ongoing search for the definitive California burrito (early contenders are edging out Mission-style, but he remains open-minded).