Viengngeun Bounkeua, MD, PhD

Education & Certifications

Medical School:

University of California San Diego Health

Residency:

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Certifications:

American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology

About

Dr. Bounkeua was raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her parents were Lao refugees during the Vietnam War who immigrated to the United States where they struggled to succeed in an unfamiliar but promising world. Dr. Bounkeua grew up surrounded by a tight knit group of Laos people. While her family was incredibly poor financially, she was rich in love and support from the community. Her days as a child were spent surrounded by a lot of kids and enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking and biking. Dr. Bounkeua graduated magma cum laude with her Bachelor of Science from the University of New Mexico, and received her medical degree and her doctorate from the University of California-San Diego.

Dr. Bounkeua never thought that she would be a physician. As a child she did not do well in school but knew that she really enjoyed the sciences. Before entering her freshman year of high school, her father told her that if she did not get straight A’s that she would not make it anywhere. Her focus from that point forward led her to excel in school and become a straight A student. After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Cellular Molecular Biology, Dr. Bounkeua took a few years off to determine what path she wanted to pursue in life. During this time, she was a research assistant at the National Institutes of Health and her mentor was a physician scientist. It was at this time, it clicked for her that she wanted to go to medical school.  Although her mother told her that she would have a happier life as a waitress because medical school was hard, Dr. Bounkeua pressed forward to pursue her medical degree.

Dr. Bounkeua’s interest in reproductive health was initially sparked by her travels in Laos as a college student. After Dr. Bounkeua’s first year of medical school, she volunteered at a hospital in Maseno in western Kenya. This was one of the most rewarding experiences of her life.

Working with the reproductive medicine patients was particularly fulfilling. She found that simple interventions, such as education and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, in conjunction with practical skills, such as the ability to perform cesarean-sections, had a profound impact on the day-to-day lives of the women seen in the hospital. She helped treat women with malaria and HIV infections during pregnancy and assisted in operations for women who developed severe complications after delivering their babies without pre- or perinatal care.

This experience further compelled Dr. Bounkeua to consider a career in reproductive medicine. During her third-year obstetrics and gynecology rotation, it quickly became apparent that reproductive medicine encompassed what she had envisioned and valued in a medical profession. In her current position as a certified Obstetrics and Gynecology physician, Dr. Bounkeua appreciates both the long-term relationships that could be developed and the ability to provide health care for women through all stages of life. Dr. Bounkeua enjoys the team-based approach to care and thoughtful management of patients exemplified in obstetrics and gynecology.

She concludes, “As I continue my work in obstetrics and gynecology, the strength of character my parents displayed to overcome the unique challenges my family faced after they left Laos instilled in me a positive attitude and strong work ethic that serves me well.”