Doctoral Program in Health Professions Education

Photo of Doctoral Theses

About

In 2010, UCSF joined in collaboration with Utrecht University Medical Center (UMC Utrecht) to offer the Doctoral Program in Health Professions Education. This collaboration makes possible a rigorous program for scholarly advancement for medical education researchers. Successful candidates graduate with a PhD in Health Professions Education from UMC Utrecht. Well-regarded medical education researchers serve as mentors.

Eligibility

Individuals eligible for the doctoral program:

  • Are a health professional with preparation in education OR
  • Are a health professions educator with a master’s degree in social or biomedical sciences.
  • UCSF or UCSF-affiliated faculty; or staff involved in health professions education; exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis
  • Are scholarly in health professions education, e.g., they have completed the UCSF Teaching Scholars Program or equivalent
  • Are proposed for the program by a program faculty member agreeing to act as the primary supervisor (promotor), based on CV, interview and research plan.
  • Publications in education research are highly desirable.
Application Process

Steps in the application process are spaced over the first year:

  1. Request an informational meeting with a doctoral program faculty member. Send your CV to CFE@ucsf.edu and brief description of your research interest that aligns with the program.
  2. Successfully meet the criteria for the doctoral program.
  3. Criteria include:
    • demonstrated capacity for conceptual thinking;
    • strong desire to conduct research;
    • adequate content expertise in an area for research;
    • adequate educational background and experience.
  4. Receive an invitation for a formal interview and present your research interests describing alignment with the expertise of doctoral program faculty.
  5. Complete a first draft of Training and Supervision Agreement (TSA) with guidance from assigned faculty mentors from UCSF and Utrecht during the first in-residence week of the program. 
  6. Tuition payment begins January of the 1st year when the candidate begins attending the doctoral seminar.
Program Faculty

Broadly speaking, CFE medical education research faculty focus on several key areas with attention to how this research aligns with improving education at UCSF and beyond. These key areas will evolve as we collaborate with other researchers at UCSF, regionally, nationally, and internationally. However, each faculty member has specific research interests and expertise. Below lists are current faculty who facilitate the program; note several are no longer serving as the primary supervisor for new students.

Current Participants and Graduates
Name Title and Department Thesis

Jimmy Beck

Jimmy Beck, MD, MEd

Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, Washington
(Entry year - 2023)
 

Judith Bowen, MD, PhD

Judith Bowen, MD, PhD

Professor of Medicine
Washington State University

Associate Dean for Curriculum
Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine

On Discontinuity and Learning: Investigations of Physicians’ Responses to Transitions of Patient Care Responsibility (2019)

Huiji Carrie Chen, MD, PhD

Huiji Carrie Chen, MD, PhD

Associate Dean for Assessment and Educational Scholarship
Professor of Pediatrics
Georgetown University School of Medicine

Adjunct Professor of Medicine
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Early Learner Engagement in the Clinical Workplace (2015)

Amber Fitzsimmons, DPTSc

Amber Fitzsimmons, DPTSc

Associate Professor and Chair
Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
UCSF School of Medicine
(Entry Year - 2018)

 

Leslie Floren, PharmD, MA

Leslie Floren, PharmD, MAEd, PhD, DABCP

Academic Coordinator
Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences
UCSF School of Pharmacy
Learning to Work Together Interprofessionally- Interaction, Knowledge Construction, and Informal Learning in Clinical Education (2022)

Tracy Fulton, PhD

Tracy Fulton, PhD

Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
UCSF School of Medicine
(Entry Year - 2020)
 

Elizabeth Gatewood

Elizabeth Gatewood, DNP, RN, FNP

Associate Professor
Department of Family Health Care Nursing
UCSF School of Nursing
(Entry year - 2023)
 

Brian Gin, MD, PhD

Brian Gin, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
UCSF School of Medicine
(Entry Year - 2020)
 

Erin Green

Erin Green, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT

Assistant Clinical Professor and Director
Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency Program
UCSF Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
(Entry year - 2023)
 

Karen Hauer, MD, PhD

Karen Hauer, MD, PhD

Associate Dean for Competency Assessment and Professional Standards
Professor of Medicine
Department of Medicine
UCSF School of Medicine
 

Evaluating Clinical Trainees in the Workplace. On Supervision, Trust and the Role of Competency Committees (2015)

Reena Karani

Reena Karani, MD, MHPE

Director, Institute for Medical Education and Professor of Medicine
Medical Education and Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
(Entry year - 2023)
 

Kai Kennedy, DPT

Kai Kennedy, DPT

Associate Professor
Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences
UCSF Graduate Division
(Entry Year - 2021)
 

Lauren Maggio, MS(LIS), PhD

Lauren Maggio, PhD

Professor of Medicine
Uniformed Services University (USU)
Center for Health Professions Education (CHPE)

Associate Director for Scholarly Communication for CHPE
 

Educating Physicians in Evidence-Based Medicine: Current Practices and Curricular Strategies (2015)

Lynnea Mills, MD

Lynnea Mills, MD

Associate Professor
Department of Medicine
UCSF School of Medicine
(Entry Year - 2018)
 

Margaret Robinson

Margaret Robinson, MD, MAEd

Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
UCSF School of Medicine
(Entry year - 2023)

 

Justin Sewell, MD, PhD

Justin Sewell, MD, MPH, PhD

Professor of Medicine
Department of Medicine
UCSF School of Medicine

A Critical Lens for Examining Procedural Skills Training in the Health Professions – The Case of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (2019)

Jody Steinauer, MD, PhD

Jody Steinauer, MD, PhD

Professor and Vice-Chair of Education 
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
UCSF School of Medicine

Director
UCSF Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health

Learning to Care for “Difficult Patients”: Motivation, Identity, and Reflection in Medical Students and Residents (2019)

Gustavo Valbuena, MD, PhD

Gustavo Valbuena, MD, PhD

Clinical Associate Professor
Joint Medical Program
UC Berkeley School of Public Health
UCSF School of Medicine
(Entry Year - 2018)
 

 

John Young, MD, MPP, PhD

John Young, MD, MPP, PhD

Professor and Chair
Department of Psychiatry
Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Chair
Department of Psychiatry
Zucker Hillside Hospital

Senior Vice President
Behavioral Health
Northwell Health

Using Cognitive Load Theory to Understand and Improve Patient Handoffs (2016)

Contact

For questions about the doctoral program, contact Ivan Mendez, MBA, SOM Volunteer Clinical Professor (VCP) Program Manager, ivan.mendez@ucsf.edu.