Medical Education
Dear Medical Students and Medical Education Colleagues,
 
We were horrified to hear that eight people were shot to death in Atlanta including 6 Asian women at Asian American owned businesses last night. This senseless violence only adds to the trauma that our Asian American community has experienced nationwide over the past year. The tragedy highlights the many acts of violence that befall members of our oppressed and intersectional communities. As Vice Chancellor Bill Lindstaedt stated in his message, we also want to express our sorrow and our solidarity with our Asian American students.
 
As we stated in January, let us be clear—as a community, our School stands with our Asian communities and against those whose seek to injure, kill, or sow fear in the communities that have so enriched our city, state and nation. We also must work to combat speech that marginalizes, blames, stereotypes or otherwise diminishes the humanity of all of our communities.

We encourage all of you to visit STOP AAPI Hate, a national coalition addressing anti-Asian hate amid the COVID-19 pandemic to learn more about how you can combat racism. 

As we have responded with other incidents of sociopolitical and racial trauma, we understand that it may be difficult for students to concentrate during this time. Therefore, effective March 17-26, we are enacting our sociopolitical and racial trauma protocol.
Foundations 1 and Class of 2022 Career Launch: Optional Curricular Activities

  • Foundations 1 and Class of 2022 students are able to opt out of required coursework activities without consequence (i.e., it does not use a discretionary absence). Students must complete an absence request form if they need to miss a required session.

  • Recognizing that many students process and cope best by continuing with work in the curriculum, curricular activities will continue as scheduled and focus on the content of the course.

Foundations 2 and Career Launch: Optional delay in high stakes assessments

  • Students are expected to continue attending clinical rotations to support patients and our communities.

  • Students are permitted an additional 30 days for high-stakes exams or assignments as needed.

  • If you are unable to participate in your clinical assignment or take your clerkship exams, please check in with your clerkship director and attending, and notify your academic advisor on the Student Experience Team.

Should you need additional support, everyone on the Student Experience Team, including Medical Student Well-Being, is here for you. You can reach any of us at (415) 476-1216. After hours, this number will also direct you to an urgent line that will connect you to someone on our team. Below you will find our other emergency student support resources.
Take care of yourselves and others, 

Medical Education Deans
UCSF School of Medicine

Catherine R. Lucey, MD
Vice Dean for Medical Education
Executive Vice Dean for the School of Medicine

Michelle A. Albert, MD, MPH
Associate Dean for Admissions

Peter Chin-Hong, MD
Associate Dean for Regional Campuses

John Davis, MD, PhD
Associate Dean for Curriculum

Karen Hauer, MD, PhD
Associate Dean for Competency Assessment and Professional Standards

Lee Jones, MD
Associate Dean for Students

Kevin H. Souza, MS
Associate Dean for Medical Education
Student Support Resources

  • Medical Student Well-Being Program: Provides support for our students focusing on mental and physical health, as well as spiritual, financial, environmental, and social well-being. (415) 476-0468

  • Free Psychotherapy and Medication Management: The staff for this program is especially trained in working with medical students.This service is free to all medical students and will always be confidential. Please schedule an appointment with Howard Rubin, MD or Vittorio Comelli, Psychologist via email or by calling 415-476-0468.

  • UCSF Student Health & Counseling: (415) 476-1281, option 2

  • Student Experience Team and Medical Student Dean on Call (after hours issues): (415) 476-1216, option 1


  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

  • National Crisis Text Line: 741-741

  • MedPeers Program: Connects medical students with peers who have completed at least three years of medical school. Email medpeer@ucsf.edu and the MedPeer on call will respond within 12-24 hours.