Community and Belonging at UCSF

Our Commitment

At UCSF, we are committed to recruiting and supporting residents, fellows, and faculty who represent and are committed to caring for our diverse population. We are also dedicated to fostering a culture that promotes inclusion, builds community and belonging, and iteratively works towards more just systems. We are committed to training a diverse group of physicians who are themselves dedicated to advancing health equity in their work as clinicians, researchers, educators, and advocates.  

Our Patients and Communities 

If you ask any of us why we came to UCSF, there is a good chance a significant part of our answer will focus on the people, with a particular emphasis on the tremendous diversity of families and communities we have the privilege of caring for and learning from each day: 

• More than one-third of San Francisco residents are immigrants 

• There are more than 160 languages spoken in the Bay Area 

• Nearly half of SF residents speak a language other than English at home, with the largest language groups being Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), Spanish, Tagalog, Russian, and Vietnamese, and with Arabic as the fastest-growing language in the Bay Area 

• All pediatric clinical sites (Mission Bay, San Francisco General Hospital, Mount Zion), welcome patients with public insurance, and at the SFGH Pediatrics primary care clinic, approximately 97% of patients are insured by MediCal (Medicaid) 

• UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco provides world-class specialty care for a patient population that is approximately 55% publicly insured, and UCSF provides over 1 billion dollars in charity care annually

Education and Opportunities

All residents engage with a health equity curriculum longitudinally across their time in residency, through noon conference sessions, half-day workshops, and other educational sessions. The curriculum is grounded in historical context, accepted definitions, and theoretical frameworks to provide all residents with a shared foundation in this work. The curriculum emphasizes a structural lens (preparing residents to apply foundational frameworks to understanding health systems), community-building (recognizing the critical nature of relationships in work to advance health equity), and critical self-reflection (inviting each resident to deepen their own personal inquiry and skill-building). Some sample sessions from recent years include content on: cultural humility, structural racism, immigrant health, gender-affirming care, ableism and disability justice, language equity and best practices partnering with interpreters, and feedback across differences.  

Our approach to equity and belonging is also evident in other areas of our program, including our structured curriculum, our approach to mentorship, and our assessment and advising practices. We understand that residents thrive when they feel supported, included, valued, and seen. We collaborate with our residents and our leadership team to iteratively work towards a program that supports people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, creates connections across differences, and examines its own practices to ensure we are intentional and fair in our educational practices. 

Outside structured didactics, many residents additionally learn from practitioners in specialty clinics designed to support specific communities. Some of these include: SFGH Honeycomb Clinic (Black-centered care), 6M Bridges Clinic (immigrant health), UCSF Child & Adolescent Gender Center (gender-affirming care). 

In addition to the formal classroom and clinical curriculum, a strong majority of residents engage in extracurricular opportunities centered around inclusion and health equity. Below are a few example areas of engagement: 

• The RISE Coalition is a resident-led group of residents, fellows, and faculty committed to taking collective action for social justice. The coalition works interprofessionally toward structural, interpersonal, and individual change through efforts in medical education, recruitment, advocacy, and community engagement. Click here to learn more about the history

• The Health Access and Opportunities Pathway is an intensive multidisciplinary course (open to students, residents, and fellows across UCSF) for individuals committed to addressing inequity and oppression in healthcare. 

• The Global Health Pathway is a longitudinal multidisciplinary (open to students, residents, and fellows across UCSF) experience engaging trainees to become equitable, sustainable partners in global health clinical practice. 

• Black Healing Day, initially visioned and implemented by a former Pediatrics resident, is now a UCSF-wide trainee event for therapeutic rest, reflection, and connection. 

• Residents (as well as faculty) attend national conferences such as SNMA and LMSA 

• Residents are supported in applying to and participating in national organizations that support scholarship and development of individuals from diverse backgrounds, including APPD (Advancing Inclusiveness in Medical Education Scholars), AIMS program, and the APA New Century Scholars Mentorship program, among others. 

• Residents are integral members of our recruitment committee, which uses a comprehensive review of applicant files and hosts trainings on equity best practices in recruitment as well as specific de-biasing strategies. 

• Residents and residency leadership have partnered with other programs to participate in programmatic improvement efforts that seek to address equity in assessment and advising practices using Design Justice principles 

 

Connection and Belonging 

We recognize that, in addition to curriculum and structure, building a community and connection is key to supporting residents from all backgrounds. Whether in our formal mentorship programming, our support of scholarly pursuits, or our celebrations, we strive to create a space where people feel welcome.

Resident Families

Additionally, all residents are assigned to a resident “family” that consists of a PGY-1, PGY-2, PGY-3, and two faculty members. These "families" host get-togethers as a way to build connections across residents and faculty. Resident families also provide additional spaces for networking, mentorship, and community-building opportunities throughout residency.

Resident Houses

The entire residency is divided into four "Houses" that form the basis for friendly competition throughout the year, kicking off annually at our Residency Retreat. Houses are constructed in ways that connect residents from different continuity clinics, years in training, and programs. At the end of the year, the winning house is celebrated at graduation.

Residents Groups and Committees

There are several structured ways that residents can create change and foster innovation in the program, as well as work collectively to enhance camaraderie through event programming and other initiatives.

Class Representatives are the trusted voices of their peers, fostering communication, advocacy, and connection within the residency. They gather and synthesize feedback from their class to share with program leadership, ensuring that residents’ perspectives shape decisions and improvements. By attending monthly meetings with chiefs and APDs, addressing time-sensitive concerns, and helping share important updates, class reps strengthen transparency and belonging across the program.

The Program Improvement Group (PIG) gives residents a collective voice in shaping their training. Each year, representatives from every class work with leadership to identify priorities, bring forward ideas, and collaborate on changes that enhance learning, teamwork, and the overall residency experience.

The Rotation Evaluation Committees (RECs) are teams of residents, faculty, and sometimes fellows who collaborate to improve rotation experiences.  RECs at minimum are responsible for reviewing rotation evaluations and materials, but often spearhead large rotational changes.  These groups additionally seek to strengthen the bond and increase communication between residents and rotation leadership.

The Social Committee works to strengthen connections across the residency by creating inclusive opportunities for residents to come together outside of clinical duties. From organizing gatherings and wellness events to celebrating milestones and holidays, the committee helps foster community, belonging, and joy within the program. Their efforts ensure that all residents feel supported, connected, and part of a vibrant community.

The Wellbeing Committee is dedicated to fostering a supportive, healthy, and sustainable environment for all residents. The committee organizes initiatives that promote mental, emotional, and physical wellness — from peer support and reflection sessions to wellness events and resource sharing. By centering resident voices and creating spaces for connection and balance, the Wellbeing Committee helps ensure that community and belonging extend beyond the workplace into daily life.

Current UCSF Pediatric Faculty, Fellows, and Residents can sign up to be on Opportunity Committee Listservs. Once added, you will receive information regarding future meetings and current projects. Email: [email protected]

Visit the UCSF Office of Opportunity and Outreach to learn more about UCSF’s broad community.