Celebration of Life for Ajay Sampat

Gifted educator, Department of Neurology faculty member, colleague, and mentor Ajay Sampat passed away on March 13 after a courageous battle with ALS, leaving a profound void in the department and our UC Davis Health community.

The Department of Neurology is hosting a celebration of life on Saturday, May 10 from 10 a.m. – noon. The event will include stories, reflections and shared moments of gratitude. Selected speakers will begin at 10 a.m., followed by casual discussion with refreshments.

UC Davis members can participate in the celebration by sharing quotes, stories or photos with the organizers and family using this link, by May 8 at 5 p.m. Non-UC Davis members can share directly with Meriah Horton.

The event will be held on the UC Davis Health Campus in Betty Irene Moore Hall, Room 1800. Participants can also attend via Zoom. 

Please RSVP here.

Sampat’s legacy at UC Davis Health

Sampat joined UC Davis in 2018 as an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, after completing medical school at the University of Chicago, residency at Northwestern University, and a fellowship in sleep medicine at UCLA. He was promoted to associate professor in 2023.

His impact extended far beyond his clinical expertise. He was deeply committed to medical education, serving as a School of Medicine academic coach and associate clerkship director for the Neurology Clerkship. His ability to engage and inspire learners was unparalleled. He had a gift for distilling complex neurological concepts into clear and accessible lessons — a talent recognized by UC Davis Health neurology residents when they awarded him the Excellence in Teaching Award in 2019. 

Even after his ALS diagnosis, Sampat’s dedication to teaching never wavered. He continued to lead clerkship sessions, deliver grand rounds presentations nationally and mentor learners with the same warmth, patience and brilliance that defined his career.  

His innovative “Choose Your Own Adventure” teaching sessions and his insightful sessions on brain imaging were not just educational — they were transformative experiences. Sampat’s influence extended well beyond UC Davis. His national presence as an educator and mentor reflected his extraordinary ability to connect with learners and colleagues alike. He taught with humility and authenticity, sharing his personal experiences with the medical profession and elevating the art of “doctoring” nationwide. 

“Ajay was beloved as a faculty colleague and medical educator," said Amy Brooks-Kayal, professor and chair of the Department of Neurology. “The example that he set of kindness, empathy and resilience deeply touched everyone who had the privilege to know him. He taught us how to be better doctors, teachers and human beings.”

To honor his remarkable legacy, the Department of Neurology established a scholarship to inspire future generations of medical students to become neurologists who are medical educators, reflecting his lifelong dedication to education and mentorship. The Sampat family shared that the establishment of this endowed fund provided him great comfort during his ALS journey. Donations can be made to the Ajay Sampat, M.D. Endowed Neurology Scholars Award.  

“All of us in the Department of Neurology are profoundly grateful to have had Ajay as part of our lives, even if far too briefly, and we feel fortunate to have been able to create the Ajay Sampat, M.D. Endowed Neurology Scholars Award to serve as an enduring legacy of Ajay’s tremendous commitment to medical education,” said Brooks-Kayal.