Word Cloud representing how our 2022 APP scholars felt after participating in the summer program.

“I spent six weeks last summer in the LCOE Aspiring Physicians Program (APP), where I was provided with the connections and opportunities I need to develop myself as a stronger medical school applicant and to learn more about my role in medicine as a future physician.

This program is designed to help UIM pre-med undergraduates who want to become physicians, no matter where they might be on their medical school path. Everyone in the program was so open and supportive of our journeys to medical school and were eager to provide mentorship. They worked with every student to provide resources, guidance, and support. The program also gave me the chance to make connections to my peers, at Fresno State, UC Merced, and SF State, who shared information about awesome programs they found useful.

The APP program also gave me the confidence to know that I can be a physician and that my experiences and background make me distinctive. The APP faculty, medical students, and other physicians helped us understand the importance of having diverse physicians caring for an ever-growing diverse patient population. This makes a lot of sense given the challenges people face in accessing quality healthcare in the Central Valley, where I live.

As I completed the intensive summer program, I left understanding more about myself, my community, and mentorship than I had imagined. After completing the summer intensive, I became a mentor myself with City of Dreams, the community-based organization I partnered with during the program. One of my mentors connected me to an OB/GYN physician, Dr. Malini Nijagal, who does important work in her community. I now intern with Dr. Nijagal's organization. This organization provides comprehensive services for under-resourced pregnant women and their families, including health/wellness services, educational services, and food resources. My work with Dr. Nijagal has been incredibly empowering. It has increased my passion to become a physician and work within my community.

Academic and Leadership Academy Summer Program (ALAS)

Drs. Denise Connor, Sarah Alba-Nguyen, and Alicia Fernández lead this program for rising second-year UIM medical students. In the summer of 2022, ALAS welcomed 20 medical students to participate in a three-day intensive leadership program before going on the hospital wards. The students worked in small groups with faculty and learned to refine their clinical reasoning skills and oral case presentations, tools essential to their success in the clinical environment. Students interacted with diverse faculty from a range of specialties and discussed aspects of the hidden curriculum that could aid their success in the coming year.

"This was a really nice, judgment free environment that allowed us to practice some of the most important clinical skills that are needed to effectively communicate and care for patients. This session also helped solidify a lot of what I have learned through CMC. Additionally, I feel more prepared or more confident in some of my skills after taking this program.”

Photo below: ALAS, MS2 students met with Drs. Sarah Alba-Nguyen, Rosny Daniel, Melissa Coleman, and Denise Connor to discuss their experience on the UCSF wards.

Shaping Academic Leaders United in Diversity (SALUD)

UCSF faculty Drs. Sarah Alba-Nguyen, Michelle Guy, and Meshell Johnson lead this program, with the goal to increase individual and group mentorship opportunities for Latinx and other UIM residents across all departments at UCSF. SALUD encourages residents to consider an academic career, assists in forming key relationships with faculty researchers and clinician educators, and addresses personal and group barriers to achieving success in academic careers.

The SALUD program also works closely with the UCSF Graduate Medical Education (GME) Pathways Program to deliver interactive career development workshops for Latinx/UIM residents across all pathways. In partnership with GME, SALUD hosts four annual UIM resident events focused on making changes towards equity in clinical research, medical education, advocacy, mentorship, and community partnerships.

Faculty at UCSF Expanding Growth & Opportunities (FUEGO)

This faculty/fellow development program enhances UCSF’s ability to recruit, retain, and promote Latinx and other UIM faculty and fellows. The program leaders are Drs. Elizabeth Harleman, Meshell Johnson, and Alicia Fernández.

FUEGO just finished its fourth year, and in September 2022, welcomed eight new Watson Scholars. These scholars participate in nine sessions throughout the year that focus on how to navigate a career in academic medicine, create an individual development plan, and explore lessons learned from former Watson Scholars. During the academic year, FUEGO provides one-hour sessions designed to enhance academic and research skills such as personal finance, manuscript development, grant preparation, mentorship, and oral presentations, and addresses self-efficacy and positive scientific career outcomes at UCSF.

Clínica Martín Baró (CMB)

This student-run clinic, located in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood, helps address the medical needs of predominantly uninsured Latinx day laborers. Clínica leadership is composed of SFSU student volunteers and six UCSF medical student coordinators who actively run the day-to-day functions of the Clínica. The clinic is a collaboration between faculty advisors from SFSU, Felix Kury, and UCSF Dr. Manuel Tapia.

The LCOE provided CMB with support in establishing a new CMB website as well as an innovative mentorship program created by Dr. Manuel Tapia, which focuses on mentorship triads to sustain the relationships between SFSU undergraduates and busy UCSF medical students. In addition, the LCOE and CMB partnership resulted in the establishment of a 10-week Family and Community Medicine elective, Contemporary Issues in Latinx Health (FCM 184). The elective is for students in UCSF professional schools and focuses on medical management of vulnerable and underserved populations.

February 2022, CMB faculty advisors, SFSU student volunteers, and UCSF medical students coordinators at the CMB Retreat.

In addition to the LCOE’s programmatic efforts and expansion areas, we have been actively investing in developing local, regional, and state level partnerships. Our goal with this work is to advance discussions regarding curriculum reform, healthcare workforce diversification, and health equity for Latinx populations in California. Use this link to read more about LCOE key initiatives

With funding from the California Health Care Foundation, we are conducting an investigation of pre-medical advising at universities across the state in collaboration with the Healthforce Center at UCSF. The results of this research, which began in June 2022, will be used to shed light on state-wide advising gaps and advocate for the allocation of additional resources where needed.

We are also actively participating in the California Health Professions Consortium where we meet with stakeholders from across the state to discuss issues in workforce diversity through our LCOE efforts.

We are developing a partnership with the UCSF Early Academic Outreach Program, local community colleges, and local four-year universities to bolster existing pathway programs. Our goals with this initiative are to:

In the summer of 2022, the LCOE partnered with the SF Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to offer health-focused programming to five community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve San Francisco’s historically marginalized communities. These partnerships will continue through the 2022-2023 school year, with a focus on creating structures for long-lasting relationships between the LCOE and the CBOs. The LCOE also led Leadership, Advocacy, and Community Engagement Summer (LACES), a summer program for physicians-in-training that focuses on teaching and practicing effective community engagement. Following participation in curricular sessions on this topic, students worked together with local CBO leadership and staff to develop and implement health-focused trainings into summer youth programming, preparing them to work with diverse populations as they continue in their medical careers.

Starting in December 2020, the LCOE has been a key member of the statewide STOP COVID CA coalition, whose focus is to increase vaccine access and uptake in communities of color across the state. The team conducted focus groups with over 100 Black/African American, Latinx and Asian American/Pacific Islander adults and young adults and published their findings in these COVID-19 policy briefs.

The LCOE joined the California Virtual Training Academy—a partnership between UCLA, UCSF, and the California Department of Public Health—to develop and implement trainings for vaccine outreach specialists at local health jurisdictions across the state. The VTA continues to provide up-to-date trainings regarding the COVID-19 vaccine to increase equity in access and uptake. Check out the California Virtual Training Academy for more information about vaccine and other VTA trainings.

Experience UCSF Alumni relations’ hybrid-style weekend of events April 14-15, 2023! Join us live at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco or virtually. Alumni Weekend is packed with fun and educational events for all alumni, including Friday’s Opening Session with Chancellor Sam Hawgood, the Kickoff Reception, and school-specific receptions to reconnect with classmates and colleagues. We hope to see you there and welcome you back to UCSF.

Pre-registration for in-person events is now closed. You may register onsite, space permitting. Registration for virtual events is still available here: Register here now

UCSF Connect is the official online networking platform for UCSF alumni, students, residents, fellows, postdocs, faculty, and staff. Sponsored by the UCSF Alumni Associations and the Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD), UCSF Connect allows you to connect with current students, residents, fellows, classmates and colleagues, expand your network, and learn about UCSF events and opportunities. Sign up and affiliate with a variety of "affinities" to more directly connect with our vast Latinx comunidad.

Signing up for UCSF Connect is free and quick when importing your LinkedIn profile. If you don’t use LinkedIn, create an account with your email.

Yoselin G. Castillo, BA joined the LCOE as a Health Career Connections intern the summer of 2020. As an intern, she provided programmatic support for the Aspiring Physicians Program (APP) at Fresno State/SFSU. After completing her undergraduate degree in Sociology from UC Berkeley, she joined the UCSF Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology as a part-time research data analyst. In that role, she provided programmatic support and project management for COVID-19 initiatives, such as the COVID-19 Vaccine Speakers Group and the Community Vaccine Ambassador Program in collaboration with the SF Department of Public Health and The Unity Council. Yoselin rejoined the LCOE team, full-time as a Research Analyst in the summer of 2021. In this position, she continues to provide administrative and programmatic support for LCOE programs and community partnerships. Through her current role, she hopes to gain experience and exposure to help narrow her future career goals in addressing community health barriers through Public Health or Medicine.

Francine Rios-Fetchko, BA became a part of the LCOE team in 2020 after receiving a degree in political science from Yale University. Since joining the LCOE, she has served as Dr. Fernandez’s academic research assistant and has been a member of our Workforce and Child Health Initiatives. Francine leads our partnership with the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth, and their Families with Dr. Raul Gutierrez. She also works with Dr. Manuel Tapia on a research project supported by the California Healthcare Foundation focused on pre-health advising across the state of California. Her research and community engagement interests center around chronic disease care and mental health services for children and families from historically marginalized communities. In the future, Francine aspires to be a physician devoted to serving these communities and addressing issues of health equity through population and individual level work.

Madison Rodriguez, BA started her journey with the LCOE in the summer of 2020 as a Health Career Connections student intern. In that role, she managed the LCOE Street Team, a volunteer group of UCSF students and local community members that disseminated evidence-based information about COVID-19 safety and local resources. Madison returned to the LCOE after working at the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative on the California Statewide Study of Homelessness where she traveled throughout California interviewing people experiencing homelessness. In her current role, she works on pathway initiatives with Drs. Manuel Tapia and Randy Jackson, addiction medicine research with Dra. Marlene Martin, and works with LCOE APP program at San Francisco State, and the ALAS Program. Her favorite thing about this role is the exposure to positively impact health equity across a variety of methods. Madison plans to pursue a PhD in Social and Behavioral Health with a focus on building up equitable harm-reduction programs and drug policy reform.

Connie Calderón-Jensen, MA has been the Associate Director of the LCOE for the past 4 years, and previously worked with the UCSF School of Medicine Post- Baccalaureate Program. She leads the LCOE’s HRSA programs, outreach efforts, communications, meetings with the Executive and Advisory Councils, and manages the overall administration of the LCOE. She collaborates with a variety of UCSF offices and organizations, as well as community groups, undergraduate programs, and professional organizations seeking to increase the number of Latinx physicians in California and across the nation. Her professional mission has always focused on providing access to higher education for underrepresented students. Connie received her BA in Political Science from UC San Diego and a MA in International Policy Studies and Spanish from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey (MIIS).