Student Life in San Francisco
One of the most vibrant and culturally diverse cities in the world, San Francisco offers something for everyone, from sweeping hilltop views of the bay and Golden Gate Bridge to distinctive neighborhoods bustling with cafes, shops, and restaurants.
Medical students typically gravitate toward the neighborhoods closest to the UCSF Parnassus campus: the Inner Sunset and Cole Valley. The new Mission Bay area is also attracting many students and young professionals.
- The Sunset District, bounded by UCSF to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, is known for the tendency of San Francisco's fog to linger so long on many days that residents don't see the sunset. But the neighborhood's appeal comes from its cozy, small town feel and an astonishing variety of cafes, diners, and ethnic restaurants ranging from Mexican to Hawaiian to Thai.
- Cole Valley is a sliver of a neighborhood, bordered on the east by Stanyan Street and the Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve (owned by UCSF), on the south by Tank Hill, and on the east by Clayton Street. Most of the shops are independently owned, and the restaurants lining Cole and Carl streets offer a dazzling array of choices, from family-style Italian to sushi, burgers, French pastry, fresh-roasted coffee and more.
- The Mission and Mission Bay are a study of contrasts. San Francisco's Mission District, named because it has grown around Mission Dolores since the mission was built in 1776. Home to thousands of immigrants from Mexico and Central America, The Mission has a definite Latin flair. But it also attracts artists, recent college graduates and others seeking a combination of affordability and a vibrant night life. Nearby, the new area called Mission Bay is rising up on what used to be railroad yards. With UCSF's 43-acre Mission Bay campus as the anchor, hundreds of new homes and offices and many shops and restaurants are now occupied.
The life of a medical student is full, to be sure. But living in San Francisco means that when you're ready for a break from the library or the hospital, there's an entire world at your doorstep. So grab a bite of dim sum, stop into a club to hear a local band, or head to the beach for an afternoon by the ocean. Just remember to bring a warm jacket if you go to the beach, even in the summer – temperatures in the 50's are the norm in San Francisco.
