Photo: Sarah Paris

The Gold-Headed Cane ceremony of the University of California School of Medicine was initiated in 1939 by Dr. Wm. J. Kerr, then Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine.

At the end of each school year, a gold-headed cane is presented to the senior medical student judged by his classmates and the faculty of the School of Medicine as best exemplifying by his conduct the qualities of a "true physician." Two other outstanding graduating medical students are given Honorable Mention.

The original Gold-Headed Cane, after which our cane is patterned, has long been a symbol in English medicine. Our ceremony is modeled on the tradition started by the distinguished and colorful physician John Radcliffe (1652-1714), who bequeathed his cane to a successor of outstanding merit. (See sidebar for a detailed history of the tradition.)

The original cane was passed from one illustrious British physician to another from 1689 to 1825 and now rests in the Royal College of Physicians in London.

At UCSF, a number of medical school graduates who were honored at their Gold-Headed Cane ceremonies later distinguished themselves among our faculty. These include Homer Boushey, Michael Darby, Donna Ferriero, Kevin Grumbach, Lawrence Hill, Kenneth McQuaid, Theodore Schrock, Anthony Sebastian, Alan Uba, and Susan Wall.

Today, the Gold-Headed Cane Society is responsible for sponsoring the ceremony. Vice Dean of Academic Affairs Donna Ferriero is currently president of the society.

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