UCI Health gastroenterologist honored by Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
Dr. Nimisha Parekh has helped countless individuals with inflammatory bowel disease
Orange, Calif. — UCI Health gastroenterologist Dr. Nimisha Parekh, one of the nation’s leaders in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disorders, has been honored with the 2026 Medical Excellence Award by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s Los Angeles and Orange County chapters at its Imagine Cure Gala.
Parekh is the director of the UCI Health Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program, where she has built a dedicated team within the Chao Digestive Health Institute that is renowned for its multidisciplinary approach to care for Crohn’s disease and colitis that has helped countless people living with the complex conditions.
As a researcher, Parekh is dedicated to uncovering new drug treatments for IBD and understanding the role of ethnicity in treatment outcomes for women’s health.
In 2025, she was recognized as an Orange County Woman of Impact by Orange Coast Magazine. Parekh has also repeatedly been named an Orange County Physician of Excellence by the Orange County Medical Association.
She is also a dedicated mentor who has long been committed to the advancement of others. As the associate dean for faculty development at the UC Irvine School of Medicine, Parekh has developed leadership initiatives that have helped faculty grow in their careers.
In 2014, Parekh founded a weeklong program for high school students that has enabled hundreds of them to interact with healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses and other critical team members. Of the program’s more than 350 participants, at least 75% of them have pursued healthcare careers.
Parekh is also a professor in the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology in the Department of Medicine at the UC Irvine School of Medicine. Her research interests include outcomes in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, clinical trials for new drug therapies to treat IBD, women’s issues and the role of ethnicity in disease outcomes. She also is actively involved in the training of GI fellows, residents and medical students.
Make an appointment with the IBD Program by calling 888-717-4463.
About UCI Health
UCI Health is one of California’s largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,513-bed health system that includes UCI Health — Orange, UCI Health — Irvine, its newest facility, UCI Health — Irvine Rehabilitation Hospital, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties. As Orange County’s only academic health system, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education. Follow UCI Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.