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

Medical Student Well-Being

Your Wellness is Our Priority

UCSF strives to provide support for our students' mental and physical health, as well as spiritual, financial, environmental, and social well-being. Our priority is to support our students well-being through a variety of resources and programs available on-campus and through the medical school.

Medical education COVID UPDATES

For Urgent Help

  • School of Medicine 24-Hour Urgent Line: (415) 476-1216, option 1
  • UCSF Student Health & Counseling: (415) 476-1281, option 2
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 | formerly 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
  • National Crisis Text Line: 741741

Medical Student Well-Being Resources

Below are resources provided for medical students by the School of Medicine and links to well-being resources for all UCSF students. 

Student Experience Team

Thriving in medical school, navigating career choices, and transitioning into residency training presents new opportunities and potential challenges. The UCSF School of Medicine Student Experience Team (SET) supports you during these transitions and helps you on your way to becoming a 21st Century Physician.

Medical Student Well-Being Program (MSWB)

Free Psychotherapy and Medication Management

The staff for this program is specially trained in working with medical students. This service is free to all medical students and will always be confidential. We want you to feel safe here at UCSF and we are here to assist you with a broad range of difficulties that may arise during your medical education. To request free psychotherapy, please schedule an appointment below with Dr. Howard Rubin via email or by calling 415-476-0468.

Dr. Howard Rubin, Psychiatrist Director, Medical Student Well-being

Howard Rubin, MD, Psychiatrist
Director, Medical Student Well-being
Please contact Dr. Rubin for medication management issues. 

CONTACT Dr. HOWARD Rubin

Medical Student Well-Being Programs

The MSWB Program also organizes and leads workshops and presentations to support your wellness throughout the school year. MSWB PROGRAMS

Wellness and Mental Health Committee

The Wellness and Mental Health Committee (WMHC) is a collaboration between students, staff, and faculty members who are dedicated to addressing wellness and mental health of students in the School of Medicine. The committee, which reports to the Associate Dean for Students, hopes to promote general wellness for our community, with a particular focus on identifying systemic barriers that medical students may face when interfacing with mental health services. 

For more information about the Wellness and Mental Health Committee please contact:

Abdi Abdullahi
Medical Student Co-Chair
[email protected]

Andrew Halls
Faculty Co-Chair
[email protected]

Lyra

Lyra offers all UC Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) members no-cost, on-demand confidential care for emotional and mental health support without a referral. Members (students, their spouses, and dependents) enrolled in a UC SHIP medical plan have access to Lyra’s self-service wellness tools including research-based self-care resources. Members over the age of 18 have unlimited access to coaching via text-based chats or video, private video sessions with therapists and psychiatrists, and medication management support. Learn more about Lyra.

Ginger

Ginger is an app that offers confidential, on-demand emotional and mental health support for life challenges through coaching via text-based chats, self-guided activities, and video-based therapy and psychiatry. Coaches are available to chat 24/7, 365 days per year. Private video sessions with a therapist or psychiatrist are available outside of business hours on evenings and weekends. Learn more here.

MedPeers Program

This program connects medical students with peers who have completed at least three years of medical school. MedPeers can help with issues related to struggling with shelf exams, dealing with romantic relationships during medical school, determining whether you should file a SAFE report, finding career advisors in various specialties, navigating financial resources, unique challenges for students who identify as LGBTQ+, first-gen, UIM, and/or have a disability/chronic illness. Email [email protected] and the MedPeer on call will respond within 12-24 hours.

 Contact MedPeers

UCSF Student Health and Counseling Services

The mission of UCSF Student Health and Counseling Services is to optimize the physical and mental health of students in order to help them achieve academic success, personal development and lifelong wellness.

Online Mindfulness Resources

In addition to maintaining a regular schedule of eating well, sleeping, and exercising as you are able, we recommend taking time to dive into or try out a meditative or reflective practice of your choice – see a few options that colleagues have recommended below.  

Meditation