In Their Own Words
What is it like to go to medical school in San Francisco?
Andres Anaya
"In a word…privilege. It is arguably one of the top academic medical schools in the country, however that is not what defines UCSF. We have a culture here of team work, compassion, and a progressive outlook on healthcare second to none. Our student body, from my personal experience is not competitive with one another but rather sincerely concerned with helping each other out in and out of the lecture halls. My experience here thus far has exceeded any expectation I could have had for an academic institution."
Gisela Villagomez
"Being in San Francisco during medical school is great. I feel that as a medical student, you go through a dramatic growth spurt, both emotionally and professionally, and having so much to learn from in a thriving city like this is so exciting. Our training is very much influenced by the culture of our city, focusing on the treatment of patients from so many types of cultures and identities. I love being at a school and a city that feels the same way I do about health care and the need for its improvement. Besides being at an amazing school, our campus is surrounded by beautiful sights to see and you have so many fun places to go to when you have the day or night to spare!"
Zlatko Devcic
"What stands out the most is the faculty's sincere dedication and unrelenting commitment to students. The passion they have for medicine and teaching is evident in everything they do."
Nancy Hsu
"Going to UCSF is amazing because the entire city of San Francisco is essentially our campus. There are no other medical schools in San Francisco or across the Bay, so UCSF students have first dibs on the many hospitals, clinics, and preceptorship sites in the region. When we are not working on our medical education or clinical skills, the city of San Francisco has so much to offer that it is impossible to be bored. You can go rock-climbing over at Mission Bay, listen to a concert in Golden Gate Park, bike across the Golden Gate Bridge, read a novel in a chic coffee shop, eat a delicious meal in the Mission, and the list goes on and on. The best way to find out what San Francisco offers the UCSF medical student is to experience the city for yourself."
Mala Mandyam
"Going to medical school here is absolutely amazing, for so many reasons. The faculty really embodies the city's spirit – personal growth, pursuing knowledge, and living a full life. Being the only medical school in the city means we have ties to practically all major healthcare institutions here, so our patient experiences are as varied as the city's population. My absolute favorite thing about the school is the people – the other classes and the faculty and staff take such good care of the first years that it makes transitioning so easy."
Melissa Shive
"I hate to say the library is my favorite place but it has the most amazing views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge! It helps when you have to spend a lot of time there."
Ji Won Youm
"San Francisco is an awesome place to be at during medical school. The diverse patient population that UCSF students encounter offers excellent opportunities to work with patients from all kinds of backgrounds. During the pre-clinical years, you might see a predominantly Chinese patient population at the Hep B clinics, a Hispanic one at Clínica Martín-Baró, a female one at the Women's Clinic, or a homeless one at the Tenderloin Homeless Clinic. During the clinical years, you will see, in general, many Veterans at the VA Medical Center, a mix of all races at the SFGH (San Francisco General Hospital), and relatively more Hispanic patients at the Fresno Medical Center. Also, SFGH takes many trauma cases, and the Moffitt Hospital gets many tertiary cases where patients typically have very complex set of diseases."