Thriving during Fellowship at UCSF
We wanted to highlight just a few unique opportunities throughout the year that our fellowship offers to help our fellows thrive.
A Sense of Community: Events
These annual events help preserve the sense of community throughout our fellowship and Division, bringing together fellows and faculty from all three sites to enjoy time together.
Summer Welcome Picnic
The summer welcome picnic is an annual party hosted at either a Division Chief’s house or a public park. This family-friendly event brings together our fellows, faculty, and their families to kick off the summer and welcome the new fellows. Read more
Annual Research Retreat
The annual research retreat is an all-day research retreat highlighting the broad spectrum of basic, clinical, translational, global health, education, and implementation science research across our multiple campuses..Read more
Divisional Holiday Party
The annual Divisional Holiday Party brings together fellows and faculty and their families as well our interprofessional team members from all our hospitals get together to celebrate the holiday season..Read more
Annual First-Year Fellow Retreat
The annual first-fellow retreat is a new tradition created by our fellows in 2015, where the first-year fellows take a weekend trip to wine country and second-year fellows completely cover their pagers and clinical responsibilities. This is a weekend of laughter and bonding and helps recharge the first-year fellows for the end of the year. Read more
ATS Conference
Our program is committed to promoting our fellows on the international stage. ALL UCSF fellows get coverage to attend the annual American Thoracic Society meeting for all 3 years of training. Attendings cover the clinical services solo so that fellows can attend the conference..Read more
Graduation & Spring Celebration
Every year, our program gets together to celebrate the accomplishments of the 3rd year fellows who are completing their ACGME fellowships. During this event, fellows and faculty get together to celebrate the 3rd year fellows, honor the first year fellow..Read more
Integrating Work & Life in San Francisco
Housing Bonus & Salary
We have supported our fellows with a housing bonus to help offset the cost of living in San Francisco. This benefit must be negotiated annually by our program and has been approximately $1000/mo in the past. Ask for details when you visit on interview day. Our salary is the maximum allowable.
Vacation Time
Every year, our fellows get 4 full weeks of vacation time in 1-week blocks. There is so much to explore in San Francisco, from the beautiful redwoods to the beach to the national parks, that staycations are just as fun as short flights away (nearest airports: SFO, OAK, SJC).
Family-Friendly UCSF Policies
Our Division has made family-friendly policies a priority. All GME trainees are entitled to parental leave and can take additional leave by FMLA if desired. Our Division has a dedicated private lactation room for fellows, faculty and staff. Many of our fellows have children and UCSF has dedicated resources to help assist with the childcare search.
Living in San Francisco
Personalizing Your Training Experience
Advanced Clinical Electives
Advanced clinical elective opportunities customized to your interests are possible. Our fellows have in the past elected for advanced training in interventional pulmonology, pulmonary transplantation, pulmonary hypertension, and medical education. Elective opportunities in advanced chest radiology, critical care ultrasound, advanced congestive heart failure, advanced pleural procedures, are all available.
Support for Additional Training and Coursework
Our Division believes strongly in the power of additional training and coursework to further your research and academic career. If you are a fellow supported by our T32 grant, you are eligible for funding for additional training and coursework, including Master’s Degrees in Advanced Clinical Research or Education as well as funding to attend conferences to present your research.
Example Schedule
We value your feedback!
At UCSF, we truly value the fellows’ experience and are constantly seeking feedback to help the program improve and grow. We have a lot of opportunities for formal and informal feedback, and please don’t hesitate to contact the following people any time for any questions, concerns, or suggestions.
CONTACT
James Frank, M.D.
Fellowship Program Director
[email protected]
Lekshmi Santhosh, M.D.
Associate Program Director
[email protected]
Antonio Gomez, MD
Assistant Program Director for Critical Care & Procedures
[email protected]
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Resources for Fellows: PDF
Confidential Concerns:
- UCSF Pulmonary & Critical Care Fellowship Ombuds: Rupal Shah, MD [email protected]
- UCSF Department of Medicine Fellowships Ombuds: Vanessa Thompson, MD [email protected]
- UCSF Office of the Ombuds: http://ombuds.ucsf.edu 415-502-9600
- UCSF GME Confidential Helpline (Education/Educational Environment Concerns) 415-502-9400
Issues of Harassment of Discrimination:
UCSF Title IX Officer: [email protected] 415-502-3400
Anonymous online report: https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/23531/location.html?cid=23939
Confidential Hotline (anonymous): 1-800-403-4744
CARE Advocate:
Free, confidential support to any UCSF student, staff, faculty, post docs and researchers who have experienced interpersonal violence such as sexual assault, dating/intimate partner violence, sexual harassment or stalking: 415-502-8802
24/7 Mental Health Resources:
- Well-Being Resources here: https://meded.ucsf.edu/residents-clinical-fellows/residents-clinical-fellows-resources/well-being-and-mental-health-resources-residents-and-clinical-fellows
- UCSF GME has contracted with ProtoCall Services for 24/7 mental health support. Trained professionals are available to take and triage calls from residents and fellows who need urgent help. Additional follow-up, if needed, is provided by UCSF FSAP. Call (855) 221-0598
- UCSF Faculty and Staff Assistance (for fellows, residents and faculty): https://hr.ucsf.edu/hr.php?org=c&AT=cm&S=Faculty+and+Staff+Assistance 415-476-8279 [email protected]
- Virtual Mental Health Benefits: Both of our HMO or PPO health insurance plans offer virtual mental health as well as in-person care.
- Virtual mental health services provided by LiveHealth Online Psychology may be found at https://www.ucresidentbenefits.com/ucsf/medical/get-care/virtual-care#Psych
- In-person mental health services may be found at https://www.ucresidentbenefits.com/ucsf/medical/find-a-medical-or-behavioral-health-provider/get-care
24/7 crisis line: 415-781-0500
Student Health and Counseling: 415-476-1281 (for medical students or graduate students)
Additional Information:
Summer Welcome Picnic (August)
The summer welcome picnic is an annual party hosted at either a Division Chief’s house or a public park. This family-friendly event brings together our fellows, faculty, and their families to kick off the summer and welcome the new fellows.
Annual Research Retreat (October)
The annual research retreat is an all-day research retreat highlighting the broad spectrum of basic, clinical, translational, global health, education, and implementation science research across our multiple campuses. First-year fellows are guaranteed coverage to attend the research retreat and meet and network with mentors. Senior fellows and junior faculty present their research with posters and oral presentations.
Divisional Holiday Party (December)
The annual Divisional Holiday Party brings together fellows and faculty and their families as well our interprofessional team members from all our hospitals get together to celebrate the holiday season. There is a famous bake-off contest where many of our faculty compete for the sweetest treats.
Annual First-Year Fellow Retreat (February)
The annual first-fellow retreat is a new tradition created by our fellows in 2015, where the first-year fellows take a weekend trip to wine country and second-year fellows completely cover their pagers and clinical responsibilities. This is a weekend of laughter and bonding and helps recharge the first-year fellows for the end of the year.
Fellows at ATS from First Year Onward (May)
Our program is committed to promoting our fellows on the international stage. ALL UCSF first-year fellows get coverage to attend the annual American Thoracic Society meeting. Attendings cover the clinical services solo so that fellows can attend the conference. The program covers fellows’ flights, lodging, food, and coursework so fellows can concentrate on learning the most at ATS and networking. Our senior fellows almost all attend ATS as well to present their work and continue to learn and network. At ATS, UCSF boasts an historically famous party where fellows, faculty, and generations of program alumni mingle and catch up.
Graduation Dinner & Spring Celebration (June)
Every year, our program gets together to celebrate the accomplishments of the 3rd year fellows who are completing their ACGME fellowships. During this event, fellows and faculty get together to celebrate the 3rd year fellows, honor the first year fellows who have completed their first rigorous fellowship year, and recognize the accomplishments of all of our fellows. In addition, awards for clinical excellence, teaching and mentoring are presented along with funny skits and atmosphere of great food.
