UCSF Medical Students Celebrate Match Day 2025: A Testament to Excellence, Perseverance, and Community

On the morning of March 21, 2025, 180 graduating UCSF medical students gathered at the Koret Quad on the Mission Bay campus to celebrate Match Day—a defining milestone in their medical education journey. Surrounded by family, friends, and faculty, students opened envelopes that revealed where they will spend the next three to seven years in residency, marking the transition from medical student to physician-in-training.

Sixty-one percent of students matched into California residency programs, with 24% of students staying in UCSF. The top specialties this year, encompassing 56% of all matches

Preparing for a Paradigm Shift: The Inaugural UCSF AI & Education Symposium

The inaugural UCSF AI & Education Symposium convened over 350 UCSF faculty, staff, trainees, and learners to explore the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in health professions education. Sponsored by a gift from the Baum family, the symposium provided a forum for collaboration and hands-on engagement with cutting-edge AI technologies.

In his keynote address, Robert Wachter, MD, Chair of the UCSF Department of Medicine, framed AI’s impact through a line from the novel The Sun Also Rises:

“‘How did you go bankrupt?’ ‘Two ways: Gradually, then suddenly.’”

AI was first

Fourth-Year Medical Student, Alli Gomez-Ojeda, Receives UC President’s Award for Outstanding Student Leadership

Alli Gomez-Ojeda
UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood congratulates Alli Gomez-Ojeda at the UC Regents meeting on January 23, 2025.

Alli Gomez-Ojeda, a fourth-year UCSF medical student enrolled in the San Joaquin Valley PRIME program, was recently honored with the UC President’s Award for Outstanding Student Leadership for her efforts in advancing anti-oppression, diversity, and equity in medical education and patient care at UCSF’s San Francisco and Fresno campuses. Her leadership has driven meaningful changes to the Bridges Curriculum and enhanced the experience of LGBTQ+ students.

The UC President’s Award for Outstanding Student Leadership recognizes undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, as well as

Second-Year UCSF Medical Students’ Research on Display at Summer Explore Symposium

In mid-December, 104 second-year UCSF medical students presented their research at the Summer Explore Symposium, a four-day event hosted by the Inquiry Curriculum at the UCSF Parnassus Heights campus. Faculty experts led student poster sessions, covering a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research topics, from using CRISPR to assess protein function to validating cardiac risk scores in maternal congenital heart disease and applying AI in care delivery.

For the first time, first-year medical students participating in the Inquiry Immersion course attended the Symposium, observing

The Power of Teamwork in Health Systems Improvement: 2024 UCSF School of Medicine Health Systems Improvement Symposium

Students in discussion during a poster session
Medical Students Mitchell Koss, Aude Bouagnon and Kaitlyn Hsu in conversation at the 2024 UCSF School of Medicine Clinical Microsystems Clerkship Health Systems Improvement Symposium

On December 5th, students and faculty filled the Mission Bay Conference Center for the eighth annual UCSF School of Medicine Clinical Microsystems Clerkship Health Systems Improvement Symposium. The event celebrated the efforts of 163 medical students who completed a year and a half of work on quality improvement at UCSF-affiliated clinical sites as part of the Clinical Microsystems Clerkship (CMC) component of the Foundations 1 curriculum. Thirty teams of students, each led by a faculty coach, tackled projects aimed at enhancing patient care across UCSF Health sites, Zuckerberg San Francisco

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Medical Education: Maintaining Human-Centeredness

UCSF School of Medicine learners, faculty and staff envision the future of AI in Medical Education

Picture this: you are a first-year medical student preparing for a major exam, beginning to see why medical learning can feel like “drinking from a fire hose” – the volume of material can be overwhelming! But then you wonder: could artificial intelligence (AI) help you funnel that water into manageable buckets? Imagine an AI tool that organizes your scattered class notes and lectures into personalized flashcards, targeting your strengths and weaknesses.

Now, consider being a third-year medical student on clinical rotations, receiving written evaluations of your performance. Amidst

Taking Time for Research: UCSF Medical Students Deepen Research Expertise During Gap Years

Person working in a laboratory
Han Yin, MS4, works in the lab as part of her gap year research

Known for its strong research focus, the UCSF School of Medicine encourages students to explore research opportunities throughout their medical education. Gap years, often taken between the third and fourth year, are a popular time for students to delve into research projects.

A significant portion of the Class of 2025 (24%) is currently taking a gap year, with 70% of these students pursuing research endeavors. Some students combine their gap year research with the MD/MAS in Clinical and Epidemiologic Research program, a five-year combined degree focused on advanced epidemiological and

Building Community, Trust, and Connection Through Appreciation: UCSF School of Medicine Diversity Matters Orientation

People seated at a conference table in conversation
Participants at the DMO 10-Year Anniversary Celebration were led in facilitated conversations based on the practices shared during DMO. (L-R) Jessica Abrolat, MS1; Jyothi Marbin, MD; Leanna Lewis, EdD, MSW; Aisha Queen-Johnson, MSW; and Tami Cowell.

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the Diversity Matters Orientation (DMO) portion of the UCSF School of Medicine medical student orientation. DMO is a two-day immersive experience for medical students during their first week of medical school. Through common readings, small group facilitated discussions, and guest speakers—including advanced medical students, faculty, and a patient—DMO develops the lifelong practice of strengthening the communication skills needed to build trust and community and connect across differences.  

DMO celebrates the stories and successes of individuals

2024 UCSF School of Medicine White Coat Ceremony: A Celebration of Commitment and Community

People in white coats

On August 11, 2024, the UCSF School of Medicine Class of 2028 took their first steps into medical training at the White Coat Ceremony, held at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco. The event was filled with joy and pride as students, faculty, staff, family, and other loved ones gathered to celebrate this milestone.  

Vice Dean for Education Karen Hauer, MD, PhD, opened the ceremony, followed by remarks from Dean Talmadge E. King Jr., MD, who began by acknowledging the significance of the students receiving their white coats. “The white coat you will don today is more than just a garment – it

Spring Inquiry Symposium: Class of 2024 Advances Knowledge Through Scientific Scholarship

Presenting research during the Spring Inquiry Symposium
Ariana Andere, MD, UCSF School of Medicine graduate (Class of 2024) and incoming resident with the UCSF Department of Neurology, presented her research during the Spring Inquiry Symposium poster session.

On May 16, 2024, 127 fourth-year UCSF medical students showcased their Deep Explore and year-long research projects through oral and poster presentations during the spring Inquiry Symposium at Millberry Union on the UCSF Parnassus Heights campus. An array of student research topics were on display, ranging from clinical to basic science and medical education.

The UCSF School of Medicine’s Bridges Curriculum provides students with various opportunities for scientific exploration throughout all four years. From day one to the culmination of the Inquiry Symposium, the Inquiry Curriculum teaches