Center Staff

Tara Akins

Tara Akins grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee and stayed close to her Southern roots by attending The University of Tennessee for her nursing education. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2000 and summa cum laude with a Master of Science in Nursing in 2002. While attending graduate school, she worked as an RN primarily in oncology and developed her passion for education and teaching during this time. She has been board-certified in family practice and practicing as a nurse practitioner since 2003.

After graduating, she practiced in a rural community clinic in Kingston , TN—serving mostly low income and underprivileged patient populations. In mid-2003 Tara decided to make the move to San Diego , where health care and medicine are truly cutting-edge. She initially worked for Dr. James Marino, a well renowned spine surgeon and founder of NuVasive, for three years primarily seeing spine and osteoporosis patients. Tara frequently gave community lectures and participated in various health fairs and exhibitions during her time with Dr. Marino.

Wanting to get back into primary care, she accepted a position with a busy internal medicine office in 2006 and has worked in primary care ever since. She is thrilled to be working with Dr. Elizabeth Salada, a well respected and excellent internist. Tara’s interests are eclectic and varied and include women’s health, preventative medicine, education, and health & fitness. She gives presentations frequently at Oasis in Escondido and will be providing lecture series at the Pomerado Outpatient Pavilion in the near future. It is her belief that everyone deserves excellent health care regardless of financial status, race, gender, orientation, or creed. Her hope is that all of her patients feel well taken care of and understood.

Tara is board-certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and is a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the California Association of Nurse Practitioners (CANP). She is also a member of both the Golden Key and Sigma Theta Tau Honor Societies.

In her free time, she enjoys travelling, playing sports, and attending various cultural events. Tara also enjoys visiting her family and spending time with her nephew Hadyn and niece Emma. She has a strong sense of family and believes that it is these connections, along with your friends, that bring true meaning to life.