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UCSF School of Medicine Class of 2025:
Advocating for a Better World
| | The UCSF School of Medicine Class of 2025 arrived during the COVID-19 pandemic, then learned and lived through complex and uncertain times, showing extraordinary determination and resilience over the last four years. On May 19, 2025, their remarkable journey culminated in a joyful commencement ceremony at Davies Symphony Hall, celebrating 180 graduates of the UCSF School of Medicine. | | How UCSF's Coaching Program is Shaping Future Physicians | | At the UCSF School of Medicine, coaching isn’t a side program—it’s a foundational pillar of how students learn, grow, and connect. Since 2016, the Coaching Program has paired medical students with faculty coaches who provide long-term mentorship, skill-building, and guidance without the pressure of high-stakes evaluation. Now a model for institutions across the country, UCSF’s program continues to evolve to meet the needs of today’s students and tomorrow’s health care landscape. | | From Questions to Breakthroughs: UCSF Medical Students Present Research at Spring Inquiry Symposium | | On May 12, 2025, 132 fourth-year UCSF medical students presented original research at the Spring Inquiry Symposium, held at Millbery Union on the UCSF Parnassus Heights campus. Projects spanned basic science and clinical science, qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and topics ranging from drug resistance in glioblastoma to the future of AI in health care. | | UCSF Faculty Author Macy Foundation Innovation Report on Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education in Academic Medicine | | Academic Medicine recently published a two-part innovation report commissioned by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation to inform the discussions at a conference on AI in medical education. The report authors include Christy Boscardin, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Assessment for Medical Education, and Brian Gin, MD, PhD, former Associate Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF. Part one synthesizes the landscape of AI in medical education, underscoring its potential advantages and inherent challenges. Part two explores the perspectives of innovators actively integrating AI into medical education and examines their perspectives regarding the impacts, opportunities, challenges, and strategies for successful AI adoption and risk mitigation. | | Enhancing Student Experience with Student Support Leadership | | |
The following faculty educators were recently appointed to roles designed to enhance medical student support.
Lily Hitchner, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, was named Director of Student Success, UCSF Fresno, effective May 1, 2025.
Jesse Ristau, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, was appointed Co-Director, PILLAR (Program of Learning for Lifelong Approach to Review) effective April 1, 2025.
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Lily Hitchner, MD
she/her
Director of Student Success, UCSF Fresno
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
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Jesse Ristau, MD
she/her
Co-Director, PILLAR
Assistant Professor of Medicine
| | Bridges Curriculum Faculty Leadership Update | | Dana Larsen, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, was appointed to an expanded curricular role as Co-Director of the REGulatioN (REGN) block within the Bridges Curriculum, effective July 1, 2025. Dr. Larsen is stepping down from her role in Foundational Sciences in Foundations 2 to take on this expanded role. | | |
Education Continuous Quality Improvement
| | Updates to Student Disability Accommodation Processes | | |
Between 2022 and 2023, the UCSF Disability and Accommodations workgroup identified several issues: an increase in student disability accommodation needs, gaps in services, communication, and privacy, and a need to improve the culture to be more welcoming and inclusive. They reviewed UCSF policies and procedures and recommended improvements, which included the following:
Two new staff members, Haley Meyn, Student Disability Services, and Heather Yaden, Student Experience Team, were hired to support student accommodation needs.
Starting in January 2025, Student Disability Services piloted a streamlined accommodated exam proctoring operation with the School of Medicine that will expand across campus this fall. Ongoing improvements to the process of requesting, distributing, and storing letters of accommodation will reduce privacy risks and the administrative burden on students and staff.
As part of a coordinated effort, the Technical Standards were recently revised to incorporate new approaches to accessibility, detailed in the Policy Highlight section below. In addition, the Anti-Oppression Curriculum Initiative (AOCI) recently shared recommendations from the Disability and Working Against Ableism Task Force with curricular leaders and the F1, F2, and Career Launch operations committees, aiming to provide educators with guidance on approaches for addressing disability within the Bridges Curriculum.
As a result of these efforts, graduating UCSF School of Medicine students reported a 72% satisfaction rate with accommodation processes in the 2024 AAMC Graduation Questionnaire, significantly higher than the 44% national average, showing UCSF’s commitment to access and inclusion.
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The Committee on Curriculum and Educational Policy (CCEP) recently approved the following revisions to existing policies that guide our medical school. All education policies are reviewed and approved by CCEP. CCEP is chaired by Glenn Rosenbluth, MD, Professor of Pediatrics. If you have any questions about the policies that guide our medical education, please email bridges@ucsf.edu.
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The Student Selection Admissions Policy principles have been revised to be in keeping with the UCSF PRIDE Values and mission. The policy outlines the criteria, procedures, and policy for student selection to the UCSF School of Medicine undergraduate program.
| | Two UCSF Bridges Curriculum Educators Elected to the AAMC Western Group on Educational Affairs Steering Committee | | Susannah Cornes, MD, Professor of Neurology and Education Director of the Kanbar Center for Simulation and Clinical Skills, and Dana Larsen, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, were recently elected to the AAMC WGEA steering committee. Dr. Cornes will serve as Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) Section Chair, and Dr. Larsen will serve as Medical Education Scholarship Research and Evaluation (MESRE) Chair. They will join Christy Boscardin, PhD, Professor of Medicine, who serves as the WGEA Steering Committee Chair. | | |
Susannah Cornes, MD
Professor of Neurology
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Dana Larsen, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
| | Teaching Scholars Program Welcomes Class of 2025-2026 | | The UCSF Teaching Scholars Program (TSP) is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 cohort of teaching scholars. The TSP cultivates a community of educators committed to taking a scholarly approach to education, contributing to education scholarship, and advancing equity in health professions education. Faculty from all UCSF professional schools can apply and are selected through a competitive application process. Scholars engage in a year-long seminar-style program, developing an educational research project which they present at the end of the program in September. | | | | |
