University of California San Francisco
UCSF School of Medicine UCSF Medical Center

First- and Second-Year Electives

The list below documents electives that change from quarter to quarter. This is a partial listing; additional electives may be advertised on separate announcements or offered by other schools. For more information on elective coordination and advertising to other UCSF schools, please see this Elective Coordinators website.

Supervised Study and Laboratory Project Course Offerings: Please see the Registrar's Course Catalog.

Sign up for Electives via your online study list on Registrar's SAA Portal 

MD Competencies referenced in elective listings: 

  • Patient Care (PC)
  • Medical Knowledge (MK)
  • Practice-Based Learning & Improvement (PBLI)
  • Interpersonal & Communication Skills (ICS)
  • Professionalism (Prof)
  • Systems-Based Practice (SBP)
  • Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC) - indicated using the IP codes below

Inter-Professional Level of Learning2 referenced in elective listings: Adapted by Dr. Susan Hyde from Reeves S, Lewin S, Espin S, Zwarenstein M (2010) Interprofessional Teamwork for Health and Social Care. Blackwell-Wiley, London.

  • Interprofessional Education (I): Members (or students) of two or more health and/or social care professions engage in learning with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the delivery of care.
  • Multiprofessional Education (M): Members (or students) of two or more professions learn alongside one another; in other words, parallel rather than interactive learning.
  • Uniprofessional Education (U): Education that is undertaken by individuals within the same profession.

Rooms:
S is Medical Sciences, 513 Parnassus
CS is Clinical Sciences, 521 Parnassus
CL is Campus Library 2nd floor

Fall 2025 (Winter 2026 elective information will be available in December)

Course number: Emergency Medicine 170.13
Course title: Point of Care Ultrasound Elective
Faculty: Sally Graglia
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: TBA
Student Coordinator: Hashem Kalthoum
MD Competencies: PC, ICS, Prof, IPC, SBP, MK
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: Family & Community Medicine 170.01A 
Course title: (Im)migrant & Farmworker Health (Listed as "Special Issues in Health Care" with Dr. Mary Turocy)
Faculty: Mary Turocy
# of units: 1.
Day, time, & Room Location: Thursdays, 12:10-1pm; Room CL-221/222 (Library)
Dates: 8/28, 9/11, 9/18, 9/25, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 11/13, 11/20, 12/4, and 12/12
Student Coordinators: Belen Bravo, Citlali Lopez, Claire Stewart, Alanis Colon
MD Competencies: PC, MK, ICS, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: Family & Community Medicine 170.01B
Course title: Health Policy Interest Group Elective (Listed as "Special Issues in Health Care" with Dr. Mary Turocy)
Faculty: Beth Griffiths
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Mondays, 12:10-1pm; Room S-163
Dates: 8/25 (in S-180), 9/15, 9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10
Student Coordinators: James Lawrence, Parsa Mokhtar, Alexander Chen, Jashdeep Dhillon, Rami Darawsheh
MD Competencies: PC, ICS, Prof, IPC, SBP, MK
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: Family & Community Medicine 170.01C
Course title: Medical Illustration (Art in Medicine: An Introduction) (Listed as "Special Issues in Health Care" with Dr. Mary Turocy)
Faculty: Brian Shearer
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Thursdays, 12:10-1pm; Rooms CS 1116/1117
Note: CS-1113/1114 are additional rooms for 10 of the 11 class sessions. The October 2nd class additional is CS-1107/1108.
Dates: 9/18, 9/25, 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, 11/6, 11/13, 12/4, 12/11
Student Coordinators: Matthew Kim, Marlena Skrabak, Maria Wangamez, Clare Grossman, Jeanna Shaw
MD Competencies: PC, ICS, Prof, IPC, PBLI
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: I

Course number: Family & Community Medicine 170.01D
Course title: Medical Mandarin Lunch Talk Elective (Art in Medicine: An Introduction) (Listed as "Special Issues in Health Care" with Dr. Mary Turocy)
Faculty: Mary Turocy
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: TBA
Dates: TBA
Student Coordinators: Tiffany Chen, Maria Wangamez
MD Competencies: MK, ICS, PBLI
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: Family & Community Medicine 170.02 - Open to all students at UCSF (SOM, SON, PT, SOP, SOD)
Course title: Compassionate Care: The Art of Healing Communication
Faculty: Shieva Khayam-Bashi & Tom McNalley
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Tuesdays, 12-1pm; Room CS 0101
Dates: 8/19, 8/26, 9/2, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/18, 12/2
Student Coordinators: Elizabeth Li, Marlena Skrabak, Maria Wangamez, Andrea Sandoval, Gabriela Salcedo, Nabaan Mir, Clare Grossman
MD Competencies: PC, ICS, Prof, IPC, SBP, MK
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: Family & Community Medicine 171.06
Course title: Refugee & Asylum Seekers Health: The Clinician's Role
Faculty: Rebeccah Brusca
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Mondays, 12-1pm; Rooms: 8/11 in CL 220/223; All others in CS 1107/1108
Dates: 8/11, 8/18, 8/25, 9/15, 9/22, 10/6, 10/13, 11/3, 11/10
Student Coordinator: Noah Guillermo
MD Competencies: PC, ICS, Prof, IPC, SBP, MK
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: Family & Community Medicine 171.10A (Clinical Pharmacy 163 - open to SOP & SOM students)
Course title: Houselessness & Heatlth Inequities (In the School of Pharmacy: Provision of Pharmacy Services in a Homeless Clinic)
Faculty: Crystal Zhou & Erica Brode
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Mondays, 12:10-1pm; Room S-157
Dates: 9/29, 10/6 (Room S-170), 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 12/8
Student Coordinators: Selma Alamarie, Hannah Chay
MD Competencies: IP, ICS
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: I

Course number: Family & Community Medicine 172A
Course title: Legal Medicine
Faculty: Dan Tennenhouse
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, dates, on Zoom: Tuesdays, 5:10-7pm on Zoom; 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 11/25, 12/2
MD Competencies: MK, ICS, IPC, PBLI
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: I

Course number: Family & Community Medicine 184
Course title: Contemporary Issues in Latinx Health
Faculty: Manuel Tapia
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Tuesdays, 12-1pm
Dates: 8/12, 8/19, 8/25 (Monday, room S-163), 9/2 (Room S-172), 9/9 (HSW-302)
Room S-170: 9/23, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/18
Student Coordinators: Ximena Gonzalez Sanchez, Anthony Peraza
MD Competencies: PC, ICS, Prof, IPC, SBP, MK
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: Global Health Sciences 170.51
Course title: Global Health Interest Group Elective
Faculty: Erica Brode & Patricia Loftus
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Wednesdays 12-1pm, Rooms CS 1102/1103
Dates: 08/19 (Tuesday), 09/17, 10/01, 10/08, 10/15, 11/12
Student coordinators: Gabby Arkema, Karida Ean, Marlena Skrabak, Faaizah Arshad, Farhad Ghazali
MD Competencies: PC, ICS, Prof, IPC
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: Medicine 170.01A (Listed as Special Issues in Health Care w/Cindy Lai)
Course title: Food as Medicine
Faculty: Diana Thiara
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Wednesdays, 12-1pm; 8/20, 8/27, 9/3, 9/10, 9/17, 9/24, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22 (Room S-170), 11/12; Room CS-1106; On 8/27, Room CS 1110
Student coordinators: Matthew Kim, Noah Guillermo, Mariana Arino, Meiyi Yu
MD Competencies: MK, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: Medicine 170.01B (Listed as Special Issues in Health Care w/Cindy Lai)
Course title: Addressing Health Disparities in Surgical Practice & Training
Faculty: Tasce Bongiovanni
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Wednesdays, 12:10-1pm, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10; Room CS 0101.
Student coordinators: Braxton Morrison, Jacqueline Friskey, Aryan Chaychian, Keza Levine, Christopher Vargas, Christopher Orozco, Hashem Kalthoum, Saffanat Sumra
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: Medicine 170.01C (Listed as Special Issues in Health Care w/Cindy Lai)
Course title: Narrative Medicine in Practice
Faculty: Anoushka Sinha
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Wednesdays, 12:10-1pm, 09/03, 09/10, 09/17, 10/01, 10/08, 10/15, 11/12, 11/19, 12/03, 12/10; Rooms CS 1107/1108.
Student coordinators: Marlena Skrabak , Sofia Schlozman
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, ICS
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: Medicine 170.01D (Listed as Special Issues in Health Care w/Cindy Lai)
Course title: Infection-associated Chronic Illnesses
Faculty: Michael Peluso
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Tuesdays, 12:10-1pm, Room S-157
Dates: Sept. 9, 16, 23; Oct 7, 14, 21, 28; Nov 4, 18; Dec 2, 9, 16.
Student coordinators: Maia Madison, Elizabeth Chung, Catherine Gallori
MD Competencies: PC, MK, ICS, Prof
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: Medicine 170.01E (Listed as Special Issues in Health Care w/Cindy Lai)
Course title: Oncology Interest Group Elective
Faculty:
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Thursdays, 12:10-1pm, Room S-157 (S-163 on 8/14)
Dates: 8/14, 8/21, 8/28, 9/18, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23,11/13, 12/4, 12/11
Student coordinators: Ruby Tang, Hannah Chay, Karina Brito, Brian Nguyen, Farhaz Shaikh
MD Competencies: PC, SBP, ICS, MK
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: Medicine 170.01F (Listed as Special Issues in Health Care w/Cindy Lai)
Course title: Connecting with Computational Precision Health (CPH)
Faculty: Julian Hong
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Tuesdays, 12:10-1pm, Room CS 1106
Dates: 8/26, 9/2, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 12/2 
Student coordinators: Matthew Kim, Brian Tangsombatvisit, Nabaan Mir
MD Competencies: PC, MK, ICS, Prof
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: Medicine 170.07
Course title: Medical Spanish elective
Faculty: Leslie Seijo
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Fridays, 12:10-1pm, Rooms listed below with dates
Dates: 8/15 (CS 1109), 8/22 (CS 1111), 10/3 (CS 1113/1114)
CS 1109 for these dates: 10/10, 10/17, 11/7, 11/14, 12/5, 12/12
Student coordinators: Belen Bravo, Claudia Carrillo, Andrea Sandoval, Luis Estrada-Chou, Meiyi Yu, & Maria Wangamez
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, ICS, Prof
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: I

Course number: Medicine 170.34A
Course title: Disaggregating and Addressing AAPI Health Inequities
Faculty: Cindy Lai
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Fridays, 12:10-1pm, Room CS 1113/1114 (10/10 in CS 1111)
Dates: 8/15, 8/22, 8/29, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 11/7, 11/14, 12/5, 12/12
Student coordinators: Noah Guillermo, Nuo Tian, Ruby Tang
MD Competencies: PC, MK, ICS, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: Medicine 170.49
Course title: Native Health Elective
Faculty: Tasce Bongiovanni
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Fridays, 12:10-1pm, Rooms listed below with dates
Dates: 9/19 (CS 0101), 9/26 (CS 1107/1108), 10/3 (CS 1107/1108), 10/10 (CS 0101), 10/17 (CS 1102/1103), 10/24 (CS 1107/1108), 10/31 (CS 1107/1108), 11/7 (CS 0101), 11/14 (CS 0101), 11/21 (CS 1107/1108)
Student coordinator: James Lawrence & George Nakahara
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, ICS
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: I

Course number: Medicine 170.50
Course title: Cardiology Interest Group: Review & Explore
Faculty: Binh An Phan
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Mondays, 12:10-1pm, Rooms CS 1113/1114
Dates: 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17 (Room S-170), 11/24, 12/1, 12/8
Student coordinators: Ivan Villasenor. Jeanna Shaw, Upsana Pudupakkam
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, ICS
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: I

Course number: Medicine 170.54
Course title: Queer Health Elective
Faculty: Sam Brondfield
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Thursdays, 12:10-1pm, Hybrid In-Person (CS 1102/1103) & Zoom
Dates: 9/25, 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 12/4
Student coordinators: Jessica Abrolat, Liz MacAskill
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, ICS, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: I

Course number: Medicine 170.55
Course title: Nephrology Interest Group
Faculty: Anna Malkina
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Fridays, 12:10-1pm, Rooms CS 1107/1108
Dates: 8/22, 9/05, 9/19, 10/10, 10/17, 11/07, 11/14, 12/12
Student coordinators: Nicole Garza, Nabaan Mir
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, ICS
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: I

Course number: Medicine 170.57
Course title: Hablar Para Sanar
Faculty: Leslie Seijo
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Wednesdays, 12:10-1pm, Room CS 1116/1117
Dates: 9/10, 9/17, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/12, 12/3, 12/10
Student coordinators: Berenice Arguello, Andrea Sandoval, Maria Wangamez, Isaac Avila-Vargas
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, ICS
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: I

Course number: Medicine 170.59
Course title: Bugs & Drugs: Infectious Diseases - all students from all UCSF schools welcome (SOM, SOP, SON, SOD, PT)
Faculty: Brian Schwartz & Conan MacDougall
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Tuesdays, 12:10-1pm, Zoom (2 dates are in person)
Dates: 9/16 in CS 1116/1117, 10/7 in S-163; Zoom: 9/23, 9/30, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4
Student coordinators: Ajmeet Pama-Ghuman, Michael Cudal, Fatima Elzamzami
MD Competencies: MK, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: I

Course number: Neurology 170.11
Course title: Exploring Pediatric Neurology
Faculty: Sharon Wietstock
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Fridays, 12:10-1pm, Rooms CS 1116/1117 exceptions listed below
Dates: 8/22 (CS 0101), 9/5 (CS 1113/1114), 9/19, 10/3 (CS 0101), 10/17, 10/31 (CS 0101), 11/14, 12/12
Student coordinators: Ilaria Stewart
MD Competencies: MK, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: Neurology 170.12
Course title: Explorations in Neurology
Faculty: Jill Goslinga & Courtney Lane-Donovan
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Fridays, 12:10-1pm, Rooms listed below
Dates: 8/15 (CS 1107/1108), 8/29 (CS 1107/1108), 9/12 (CS 0101); Thursday, 10/2 (CS 1113/1114)
Room CS 1102/1103: 9/26, 10/10, 10/24, 11/7, 12/5
Student coordinator: Ilaria Stewart
MD Competencies: MK, SBP, PBLI
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: OBGYN 170.02
Course title: UTEACH
Faculty: Naomi Stotland, Suzanne Seger
# of units: 1.0-2.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Tuesdays 12:10-1pm; Rooms listed with dates.
Dates: 8/26 (CS 1111), 9/2 (CS 1113/1114), 9/9 (CS 1113/1114), 9/16 (CS 1102/1103), 9/23 (CS 1107/1108)
All these dates in CS 1116/1117: 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28
Student coordinators: Claire Stewart, Jessica Jang, Keza Levine
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, ICS, Prof, IPC
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: I

Course number: OBGYN 170.03
Course title: Family Planning & Reproductive Choices Elective (by MSFC)
Faculty: Andrea Jackson, Margo Vener, Megan Mahoney
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Mondays, 12-1pm; Dates/Rooms: 8/18 (CL-221) , 8/25 (S-174), 9/15 (CL-221), 9/22 (CS 1113/1114), 10/6 (CL-221), 10/13 (CL-221/222), 10/20 (CS 1116/1117), 11/3 (CL-221/222).
Student coordinators: Flo Ebem, Isabelle Fisher, Rachel Woody, Marlena Skrabak
MD Competencies: PC, MK, ICS, Prof, SBP, IPC
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: I

Course number: OBGYN 170.04
Course title: Introduction to Procedures & Surgical Skills
Faculty: Naomi Stotland
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Mondays 3-5pm and Fridays 12-1pm; Room TBA
Dates: Mandatory skills sessions: 8/25, 10/6, 11/3, 12/8; lunch talks TBA
Student coordinators: Clare Grossman, Marli Berry, Maria Wangamez, Karida Ean, Daniel Kelley, Erika Gonzalez
MD Competencies: PC, MK, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: OBGYN 170.06
Course title: Advocacy for Black Health
Faculty: Naomi Stotland, Andrea Jackson
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: TBA
Dates: TBA
Student coordinators: Korena Boyd & Marli Berry
MD Competencies: PC, MK, SBP, PBLI
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: M

Course number: OBGYN 170.15
Course title: Birth Equity for African-American & Black Families
Faculty: Andrea Jackson
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Independent Learning Modules (ILMs) are due on Wednesdays. In person sessions at Bayview YMCA are held on Saturdays in partnership with SF Pregnancy Family Village. Room N/A.
Dates: 8/27 (ILM), 9/10 (ILM), 9/24 (ILM), 10/11 (in-person), 10/22 (ILM), 11/8 (in-person),11/19 (ILM), 12/3 (ILM), 12/17 (ILM)
Student coordinator: Zainab Apalara & Maya Wilcox
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, ICS, Prof, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: Otolaryngology 170.01
Course title: Introduction to Otolaryngology
Faculty: Ilya Likhterov
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Mondays, 12:10-1pm, Room TBA
Dates: 8/18, 8/25, 9/15, 9/22, 10/6, 10/13, 11/3, 11/10
Student coordinators: Nour Aissaoui, Tiffany Chen, Pearl Doan, Erika Gonzalez
MD Competencies: PC, MK
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: Otolaryngology 170.02
Course title: Introduction to Medical American Sign Language
Faculty: Patricia Loftus
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: *Mondays, 12-1pm, Room CS 1116/1117
Dates: 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 12/5 (*Friday, room CS 1107/1108), 12/8
Student coordinator: Arezo Ahmadi
MD Competencies: PC, MK, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: Pediatrics 170.01A (Listed as Special Issues in Health Care w/Erica Lawson)
Course title: Pediatric Interest Group Elective
Faculty: Michele Long
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Mondays, 12:10-1pm, Room CS-1102/1103
Dates: 8/25, 9/15, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 11/3, 12/1
Student coordinators: Derek Sportsman, Jessica Ortega, Olivia Waters, Maggie Han
MD Competencies: MK, PBLI, ICS, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: Psychiatry 170.17B (Register in Spring 2025, NOT Winter quarter)
Course title: Explorations in Psychiatry
Faculty: Descartes Li
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Wednesdays, 12-1pm, Room CL-220/223
Dates: 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12
Student coordinators: David Quezada, Sapna Ramappa, Alexander Chen, Samar Shaqour
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: Urology 170.01
Course title: Introduction to Urology
Faculty: Yi Li
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Tuesdays, 12:10-1pm on Zoom
Dates: 9/2, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/21, 10/28
Student coordinator: Derek Sportsman
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: Surgery 160.15
Course title: Exploring Plastic Surgery
Faculty: Matt Lin & Scott Hansen
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Fridays, 12:10-1pm; Room S-163; On Weds ,10/29, Room CS 1113/1114
Dates: 8/29, 9/5, 9/12, 9/19, 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 10/29 (Weds), 11/7, 11/14, 11/21, 12/4.
Student coordinators: Pariswi Tewari, Austin McBride, Fabian Ramirez, Daniel Rouhani
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U

Course number: Surgery 160.16
Course title: OASIS Clinic Care Elective
Faculty: Scott Hansen
# of units: 1.0
Day, time, & Room Location: Student sign ups for shadowing on Thursdays & Fridays, no set dates/times
Student coordinators: Pariswi Tewari, Austin McBride, Fabian Ramirez, Daniel Rouhani
MD Competencies: PC, MK, PBLI, SBP
Inter-Professional Level of Learning: U