Bridges Bulletin
Summer Explore Inquiry Project Garners National Attention on Toxic Chemical Exposure 
Medical student Annie Hoang's Summer Explore project has garnered national attention. The research examines fatalities related to exposure to methylene chloride, a solvent widely used in paint strippers, cleaners, adhesives, and sealants. Co-authored with UCSF faculty members and others, Hoang’s research was published in JAMA Internal Medicine, highlighted in The Hill, and featured in major environmental organization’s websites including the National Resources Defense Council and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families. Hoang is lead author on the study.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Medical Education's DEI Goals and Initiatives

Medical Education deans highlighted goals to address structural racism and interpersonal biases at a semi-annual check-in with students on April 19, 2021. Learn more about the collaborative programs and initiatives associated with each goal or review our leadership messages on anti-racism.
Featured Educators
We are pleased to announce that the following faculty educators have joined the Medical Student Coaching Program and will be coaching first year students in the upcoming academic year.
Associate Professor
Pediatrics
Assistant Professor
Radiology
Associate Professor
Anesthesia
Awards and Honors
Students and Faculty Honored for Equity Work

The Program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved (PRIME-US) is a five-year track at the UCSF School of Medicine and the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program for students committed to working with urban underserved communities. Several UCSF students and faculty members in the program have received prestigious awards for their contributions in health equity and social justice.
Catherine R. Lucey, MD, Receives Award for Best Medical Professionalism Article

Executive Dean and Vice Dean for Education Catherine R. Lucey, MD, received the ABIM’s award for Best Medical Professionalism Articles for her article, The Consequences of Structural Racism on MCAT Scores and Medical School Admissions: The Past is Prologue. Dr. Lucey also recently contributed to an article in Becker’s Hospital Review about the effect of COVID-19 on medical student applications.
Education CQI Highlight
Early Evaluation Outcomes of the SJV-PRIME Foundations 1 Seminar

Early evaluation evidence indicates the success of a SJV PRIME seminar series aimed at addressing health care disparities. SJV F1 students rated their F1 seminar highly and reported learning about health care leadership, social determinants of health and health care delivery in the SJV, and the value of community engagement in leveraging resources to help address health disparities.
The SJV PRIME parallel track launched in the Fall of 2019 with a mission to develop physicians to serve and become health care leaders for the underserved communities of the San Joaquin Valley. Twelve students are admitted to the parallel track per year. SJV PRIME students complete F1 at UCSF and complete their Foundations 2 and Career Launch training at UCSF Fresno. The SJV PRIME parallel track integrates foundational sciences with application to the SJV and provides opportunities for students to learn from and create meaningful relationships with UC Merced and UCSF Fresno leaders and SJV community organizations.
Medical Education Policies
OMFS Curriculum Moving to a Three-Year Program

The Committee on Curriculum and Educational Policy unanimously approved changing UCSF’s Oral Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) program from a four-year to a three-year curriculum. This change allows for greater flexibility for licensing, aligns UCSF with other OMFS schools across the country, and provides greater flexibility for students to graduate in three years or extend to four years on an individual basis. While going through the medical school curriculum, OMFS students also participate as Anesthesia and Surgery residents. The exact date of when this program is going into effect is still being determined. For more information, please contact Sohail Saghezchi, DDS, MD, program director of the OMFS program.
Events
Anti-Racism Initiative: A Conversation with Chancellor Sam Hawgood and Dayna Bowen Matthew
Event Date: Thursday, May 6, 2-3 p.m.
Event Details: Please attend this virtual event in support of UCSF's ongoing work to dismantle structural racism and the impact of bias on our community. This will be an opportunity to deepen our understanding of health disparities and the path to health equity.
School of Medicine 2021 Commencement
Event Date: Saturday, May 15, 12:00 p.m.
Event Details: Join the Class of 2021 Commencement Ceremony. We'll celebrate with a keynote from California Surgeon General Nadine Burke Harris, MD, hear from the class speaker Kelechi Nwachuki, listen as Chancellor Hawgood awards the degree of Doctor of Medicine, and more!